


The Dead Heed No Lies

by poptod



Category: Night at the Museum (Movies)
Genre: Ancient Egyptian Deities, Angst, Chases, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Gen, I called this 'untitled natm 4 movie' in my notes, I made up a WHOLE lot of magic stuff, M/M, Magic, Magical Tattoos, Oaths & Vows, Protectiveness, Turning to stone - Freeform, Underworld, but this is a more serious fic, gender neutral reader, i cant take myself seriously, this is gonna be a hefty one boys
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-11
Updated: 2020-08-06
Packaged: 2020-12-12 04:49:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 25
Words: 102,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20985257
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/poptod/pseuds/poptod
Summary: Your job isn't as simple as it was when you first started out. Before you know it, you're hunting down an old God who happens to be a kleptomaniac with an overgrown sense of justice, alongside a 4,000 year old corpse who occasionally commits first degree murder.(Gender neutral reader).





	1. Life's a Sham

You _loved_ your job. No, truly, you did - working in a museum was one thing you knew you actually wanted in life. Still, keeping this in mind, you hadn’t exactly signed up for needing to complete a reorganization of every file in the whole goddamn museum within the span of a week.

How long had your boss worked at the place anyway? High time to retire, you thought, heading to the A section. And just because you worked at night didn’t mean he could abuse you any way he liked.

_Long night ahead of me,_ you thought, wishing that you’d bought some sort of energy drink before clocking in. Instead, you took a bite of the scone you’d gotten, looking through the first box.

Aaron Copland, American musician, died 1990. You wondered why that was in there, it was pretty recent after all.

Aaron Burr, you understood that.

Oh, they were out of order.

You fixed them.

_Moving on…_

A few (more than a few) minutes later, actual exhibits in the museum.

The giant Anubis statues guarding the King Ahkmenrah exhibit, those needed to be reordered. AH came before AN. Even though the Pharaoh exhibit had been moved away.

‘Anubis, an ancient Egyptian deity is connected mainly with the underworld, being the guardian of the underworld, referred to as Duat. He protects the dead, ushering them into the underworld, like a modern day reaper. He is also the god of embalming, and is believed to have invented the process. He has two forms - one, man like, with the head of a jackal, ears alert and sporting a red ribbon. His other form is that of a jackal or a black dog, the fur color a stark difference from the brown of jackals.’

_Why am I reading this? I know this already. I have a goddamn major in Egyptian mythology._

American Civil War, that was in the right place.

Ancient Egypt.

Ancient Greece.

Anglo-Saxons, what was that doing there? Belonged in the British museum of history. Though, you supposed it didn’t hurt to have a little European history in America.

Anne of Cleves.

Austro-Hungarian Army.

Bayeaux Tapestry.

Boleyn, Anne.

Booth, Charles.

British Empire.

A wretchedly loud sound came from upstairs, like the stomping of hordes of elephants, all intent on making you crazy. You groaned to yourself, taking a deep steadying breath before continuing. Noises were none of your business. That was the security details’ issue. Though… looking to the side, you found a plastic knife, thinking it couldn’t _hurt_ to be… armed? Could you consider a plastic knife being armed? You grabbed it anyway.

Calvin, John.

Caribbean History.

Castles of Britain, followed by Scotland and Wales.

Catherine of Aragorn.

Cattle Industry of America.

Charles the First.

China.

Civil War, America and English.

Cold War.

Crime and Punishment.

Danish Holocaust.

Dresden Bombing.

A loud honking of a horn, followed by a cacophony of party music. What the _hell_ was going on up there?

You stood, fuming, the papers in your hands falling to the ground you were previously sitting on. Dealing with your lousy job was one thing, but having terrible upstairs neighbors at the same time? That was a whole other deal, and certainly not one you signed up for. With clenched fists still grasping the plastic knife you stormed towards the door leading to the stairs, which would take you into the break room, which in turn would lead to the lobby.

The trek up the stairs took a little bit out of you, but you continued, panting lightly and still fuming with anger. Before you could open the door to the main room though, McPhee entered the break room, laughing to himself.

“Sir?” You stopped, unclenching, hoping to not make a bad impression.

“Oh! Uh, you. What’s - what’s going on?” He asked, fumbling over his words like usual, playing with his hands in a dainty sort of way.

“It’s loud out there, I was wondering what was happening, sounds sort of…” you peeked out the half open door, trying to see what was out there, but he shut it far too fast to be considered ordinary. “Abnormal.”

“Yes, well, um, we’ve got uh, guests.”

“I know. From the British museum? Isn’t partying at midnight sort of… against the rules?” You asked cautiously, never knowing when he’d go full speech without knowing words on you.

“Right, it is, but -“

“McPHEE?!” A loud, female voice you didn’t recognize came from the other side of the door, loud pounding fists as its’ partner. “DEXTER STOLE THE KEYS AGAIN!” She panted for a moment, the pounding stopped. “I can’t find the bloody monkey and now he’s let out all the lions and they’re the _only_ ones I don’t know what to do with.”

McPhee closed his eyes, letting out a quiet, tired breath. His facade, if you could call it that, and been broken, and it only left you more thoroughly confused than you had beenbefore.

“McPhee, are you in there??”

“Yes,” he hissed, prolonging the ’s’.

“Doctor, could you explain what exactly is happening?” You asked, starting to not care that he was now having two separate conversations with you and the woman behind the door. Apparently, someone had stolen the keys, and you had _live lions_ in the museum which was COMPLETELY against regulations, and why did McPhee know about it? The man you knew would never allow animals into the museum.

“Is there someone else in there?!” The woman from behind the door rapped on it three times, presumably with her knuckles from the sharp sound. In the distance, you heard someone scream ‘goal,’ followed by an uproar of cheers.

“Are you playing _soccer_ in there?” You asked him incredulously, not caring if he was the curator. No matter his rank, no matter how much you needed a job, you couldn’t stand for such misuse of a museum.

“Uh -“

The door opened before he could explain himself, the woman from the British museum stumbling through. She left the door wide open as she entered, keys grasped tight in her hand, letting you see outside.

A whole lot of people in costumes were running about, throwing a _party_. How in the world had McPhee authorized that?

“It’s not what it looks like,” he said quickly, his eyes rapidly switching between the woman and you.

“Really? Cause it looks like you’re throwing a party in a museum,” you said, eyes wide and your anger fully returned.

“Who are you?” The British woman turned to you, still out of breath and looking just about as confused as you were.

“I’m the archivist, and _you_ are holding an illegal party, you’re not supposed to invite people onto the premises after -“

“Honestly, would you shut up and let me show you? We’re not holding a… party, or whatever you called it, it’s… something else,” McPhee said cryptically, obviously trying to hold back information. You were miffed, crossing your arms, and doubtful at his intentions. Still, he was your boss, and you ought to give him the benefit of the doubt. He hadn’t failed you yet. With a deep breath you slowly nodded, allowing the two of them to lead you out the door.

A dinosaur.

Made of bones.

An actual, live dinosaur was staring at you, and it wanted to play fetch.

“That’s, uh, Rexy, I believe Larry called him. Harmless, mostly,” McPhee explained, waving to the dead yet animate animal. It only stopped for a moment to notice the three of you before continuing to chase after a toy car, one of its’ bones tied behind it. Your mouth fell open in disbelief, eyes wide with a general panic that you knew consciously wasn’t deserved, but you couldn’t convince yourself of it.

The whole room was filled with historical figures, ones whose statues you’d stared at for so long as a child, in wonder and curiosity but now you no longer wondered, you no longer imagined - they were _there_. Whether you wanted it or not, they were there, and they were loud.

“That’d be the Huns, apparently it took your old night guard for-_ever_ to get them to get along,” the woman said, shaking her head.

“Who… what…” you mumbled, in a daze of disbelief.

“The Tablet of Ahkmenrah,” the woman said in a dramatic voice, using jazz hands to accentuate the wonder, but it didn’t do much for you. You’d heard of the tablet, sure, but it wasn’t at your museum anymore. It had been transported to the British museum -

Oh. It all clicked together, why you hadn’t heard the noise before, why McPhee knew what was happening, what the cause was.

Of course, that’d be if magic was real.

“Show me,” you said, not wanting to completely discount their story. The woman looked utterly delighted, while McPhee looked mostly uncomfortable, fiddling with the bottom of his jacket, an awkward smile on his face. Your eye twitched as the two of you made eye contact. In less than a moment, you turned back, following the woman towards wherever she was taking you.

“What’s your name anyway?” You asked as she led you through a crowd of historical figures.

“Tilly. Yours?”

“Uh -“ You were quickly interrupted by Tilly, who ran into Christopher Columbus.

_This can’t be happening_, you thought to yourself, as Tilly apologized in Italian to Columbus. Columbus, made fully of silver black stone or steel, bowed his head with a smile, returning to his soccer game with the Neanderthals, who seemed quite excitable in the presence of Tilly.

“I, uh, this is -“

“A lot? I know. My first night taking care of my museum was, well, a disaster,” she laughed to herself, rolling her eyes in an ‘oh, you,’ sort of way. “Anyway, here we are!”

An empty, closed off room. The room mean to house the Pharaoh, who had been delivered to the British - what was she thinking?

“Oh, right,” she mumbled to herself, rubbing her chin methodically as she stared at the ground. You waited patiently, admiring the art of the room.

“Guess we’ll have to find the King himself, should be somewhere,” she said, pulling you by the wrist down the hallway. A few more turns and you were at the balcony of the lobby, and at the halfway point of one of the stairs, on the platform, was a man dressed in ancient Egyptian garb, golden robes flowing in a way unlike any cloth you’d ever seen. After all, a whole lot of old cloth was like that, well made, thin and light yet warm.

She led you down the staircase, stopping behind the King, who was apparently manning a DJ station.

You felt yourself get lightheaded. It simply wasn’t _possible_. It couldn’t happen, not physically. It disobeyed everything you ever knew, every wish you convinced yourself wouldn’t be fulfilled.

“Oh, hello!” The King turned around, having just been alerted of your presence by Tilly tapping him on the back. His gaze first landed on her, then on you, tilting his head to the side with a curious smile.

“My friend here is, uh, new. Doesn’t believe that all this is real,” Tilly explained, and the King gave her a knowing look, bending down to pick up what you assumed was going to be the tablet.

“I’m just an archivist, I don’t think I’m supposed to be here,” you said over the loud music, suddenly feeling quite like you were going to be sick. It felt too much like a fantastical story. You just read and studied fantastical stories. You didn’t _star_ in them.

Yet, here you were, being handed a tablet made of pure gold.

“Uh… cool,” you breathed out, holding something in your hands that costed more than your life. As soon as opportunity let you, you gave it back to the King.

“I am Ahkmenrah,” his eyes flickered over to Tilly before coming back to you, resting soft and welcoming on yours. “What shall I call you?”

“Uh, (Y/N),” you stuttered, blinking furiously, as though it’d wake you up from a dream come true.

“Well, (Y/N), welcome to the party,” he laughed, turning back around to choose another song.

“I’m gonna sit down,” you whimpered, collapsing onto the steps behind you. Tilly looked like she was going to stop you, but decided against it, her hands coming back to her sides.

“I’ll let you catch your breath, okay?” She said with a smile, patting your back and leaving down the steps. You watched as she left, joining one of the Neanderthals in dancing.

“It’s a bit overwhelming, isn’t it?” The King said, sitting down beside you. Despite being dressed in royal clothing, and speaking in a rather posh manner, he acted human. In that moment, you appreciated it.

“Yeah… why, um, how do you speak, uh, English?” You asked, turning to face him.

“I went to Cambridge. As a display,” he said, quickly correcting himself. You nodded, turning to face forward again.

“I’ve never been to England,” you murmured.

“It’s nice. Cold,” he joked, laughing to himself. You joined in weakly, still feeling overwhelmed. You continued staring forward for a while, letting yourself wonder if this was reality, or if you were hallucinating, but he must’ve noticed your silence as he cleared his throat.

“Would you like some water?”

“What?” You asked, turning to him, pulled out of your thoughtless trance. “No, I’m alright. It’s a lot.”

“I know. Imagine waking up in a coffin every night,” he joked, but it fell flat. It sounded flat out miserable.

“I’m going to go lie down,” you mumbled out, your voice cracking as you stood.He immediately stood with you, before pausing, hesitant to follow you.

“Uh - I hope you, uh, feel better!” He called to you as you left down the stairs. Before he was out of earshot you heard him curse to himself, but you didn’t care to think what he was so troubled with. Was that a little cruel? Sure. Selfish? Definitely, but you’d just found out that all the exhibits were going to come to life at night, and that magic definitely existed and all those fictional Egyptian Gods you’d studied for so long were most likely _real_.

You needed time to process… and maybe to scream a little.


	2. Holed Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If you won't join the life of the party upstairs, the life of the party comes to you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tad shorter chapter but I wanted to get it out.

It had been approximately a week since you’d fainted in the break room, found by Ahkmenrah, who was apparently worried about you after you hadn’t returned, even as dawn approached. When you came fully back to consciousness, he sat with you, explaining what the tablet did, how it needed moonlight, which was the real reason for the transfer. He further explained that it only worked during the night, which was why everything seemed so still during the day. He’d been gracious about the whole fainting thing, telling you that it wasn’t entirely unexpected, simply wishing you a better day ahead of you before he left to his exhibit.

You decided not to accompany him. Watching a man crawl into his own grave to die seemed like something that wouldn’t be good for you.

“How long are you staying here?” You asked Tilly, watching from the balcony as chaos ensued in the form of an almost hysterical party.

“Dunno, this is a pretty prestigious museum. But should be for another few months.”

“That’s quite a while,” you noted, nodding in a mildly impressed manner.

“Should give you enough time to get to know Ahk more,” she said, leaning over to you, attempting horridly at a wink.

“I - what?”

“You know, you and the King,” she said, saying his title with a theatrical form of reverence.

“… Right. Me and the King. What is this, Disney?” You shook your head, chuckling to yourself.

“What? You’d make a great couple,” she said, nudging you with her elbow.

“Til, I barely know him. You’re seeing things.”

“Whatever you say,” she said skeptically, turning and leaving down the stairs.

The whole notion she was proposing was ridiculous. You’d spoken to him a grand total of three times, the first being when you met him, the second was him waking you from a black out, and the third was you accidentally running into his parents, and he quickly introduced you to them.

On the whole, the conversation wasn’t bad, but it could’ve gone better. It felt rather like a young teen who had modern ideals with two racist parents, but this time it was an actual King and Queen who had Jewish slaves and their son, who had apparently never agreed with that.

You didn’t agree with it either, being Jewish yourself. After his parents had left, Ahkmenrah explained that it wasn’t the first time it’d happened, that it was equally embarrassing as it was funny. You agreed, and quickly excused yourself.

As fun as it was to be upstairs during the night of life, you had a job, and it couldn’t be avoided. Especially since McPhee was now breathing down your back, which was a change, because usually he was at home, asleep, during your work hours. Now, fully awake, he was free to observe your every movement. Not that he did, he was busy making sure nothing in the museum was destroyed. You stayed far away, in the basement, locked up and sorting through the archives.

Every now and then Tilly would come down, asking you to take a break, which you nearly always declined.

Then the King visited you.

You could tell it was him without even looking up, from the way his cloak dragged across the ground, and his sandals hitting the asphalt.

“Hi Ahk,” you said, not looking up from the papers you were sorting.

_Man killed 150 bears in American wilderness, original article…_

“Hello. How’d you know it was me?” He asked, chuckling as he sat down beside you. That was something you hadn’t expected of him when you first met him - for him to be normal, to stoop down to your level. Sit with you on the ground, cross legged, looking like a perfectly normal man in an impeccable costume. Warm and human.

“I can hear your cloak. No one else wears a cloak,” you said, smiling as you looked at him, before looking right back down again.

“Ah. Suppose it does sort of… give it away,” he said, fumbling with his cape in his fingers.

“It’s fantastic material, though. I assume it’s the same clothing you were embalmed with?” You said, and without thought you fingered the material, always wondering what fine cloth would feel like. As much as you studied history, you never actually experienced any of the findings it brought.

“Oh, uh, yes. It is. Gold sewn in and all. I think we were a little dramatic back then,” he laughed quietly, his eyes fixed on your hands.

You knew it was inappropriate, but dear _God_ it was soft.

“Well you had a lot of gold. Symbol of status, a way of letting people know how much you were worth. It’s like people owning mansions nowadays, buying fancy cars. Just a show of wealth and status.”

“Unsightly,” he joked.

“Unseemly,” you said with a chuckle, playing along. After a moment of quiet giggles you turned back to your papers, continuing to sort through them though it was the last thing you wanted to be doing. Here you were, studying historical records when a literal goldmine of information was in front of you, and he acted quite like he liked you, and a lot, always open to talk, always trying to learn more about you. Overall, very friendly.

“Ahkmenrah, I was wondering,” you started, setting your papers down. The more you looked at them, the duller they got. He looked expectantly at you, so you continued.

“There’s hardly any mention of you at all in any history books. No statues, we only found out you existed when we found your, um. Your sarcophagus. Do you have any idea as to why that is?”

It was, maybe, a sensitive topic. Maybe it was a question he didn’t know the answer to. Either way it evoked some emotional reaction out of him as he shifted uncomfortably, tucking his feet and hands further into himself in a psychological sign of defensiveness.

“I didn’t know, for a while. I found out later when my parents told me. I don’t remember this for whatever reason but my brother killed me, and uh… took the throne? It was his birthright, to be fair,” he said, defending him though he deserved none of it.

“He was older than you, but your parents gave you the throne?”

“Yes. I know it’s odd,” he sighed, relaxing as he leaned back on his arms. “But they thought it would be a better decision if I ruled instead of him, and generally speaking, I think they were right. My brother’s a bit, ah, bloodthirsty, you could call it?”

The two of you laughed, but you wondered what in the hell his brother could’ve done in Egyptian times to be considered bloodthirsty enough to pass the throne to the younger child.

“Anyway, he poisoned me, and my parents were still alive when this happened, but they couldn’t do much while he desecrated everything that ever mentioned me.”

“That’s depressing,” you sighed, stretching your arms as you relaxed, looking ahead to the rows of boxes.

“What’s depressing,” he said, his tone suddenly changing, “is you sitting down here all night when all the _fun_ is upstairs.”

“Oh not you too,” you groaned, not wanting to have to convince another person that you had an actual job to do.

“What? It’s not healthy, you know,” he said, laughing, knowing he was a terrible influence.

“I’m fully aware of that but it’s my job. Wouldn’t expect you to understand that, all you do is have fun,” you chuckled, digressing into a tired sigh. He hummed, quiet and low, relaxing in his position once more.

“In that case, if you really can’t be swayed, I’ll stay with you.”

You stammered, fully disagreeing. If he stayed you’d never get anything done, he was a huge distraction, him and his beautiful flowing robes and his stupid gorgeous face - no, you couldn’t do it, you would absolutely not stand for it.

However, before you could go off on a rant of why that was a terrible idea (while completely avoiding your _actual_ lovey-dovey reason as to why it was a terrible idea), he saw the look in your eye, and his smile faded into a sad, open mouthed, glittering eyed expression that made him instantly look like he’d been crying.

Like a goddamn puppy.

“Fine,” you sighed, giving in without a word exchanged. “But don’t distract me!”

“Me? Never!” He laughed, standing up and wandering through the aisles, letting you have your silence as you worked. You didn’t say anything, but you appreciated the thought deeply.

Every now and then, over the next few hours that passed, you’d see him through the spaces between the boxes. His head would poke out, and sometimes he’d kneel down to where you were, giving you a funny face for you to soften and laugh at.

_This boy is too kind for his own good,_ you thought to yourself, wondering if he was like this during his life in Egypt. As you sorted mindlessly through sheets of paper, your mind wandered, going through the two different scenarios.

If he was exactly the same then as he was now, you wondered how he survived. As a prince, he was supposed to be mature, a role model for his kingdom. He should’ve been manly and strong, neither of which were traits he’d shown thus far.

If he was not the same, you wondered when the change happened. What he was like back then. Was he cruel, antisemitic, and a succinct ruler? Or was he just as kind as he was now, just more mature, with the weight of his responsibilities drowning out his personality?

“You look lost,” he noticed, boxes pushed to the side as he poked his head through the other side of the open shelf. You laughed, pushing the boxes back together to force his head out. He whined, jogging his way around the long hall to make it to you.

“No need to be ashamed. I, too, get lost in sheets of paper,” he chuckled, sitting down behind you and looking over your shoulder. He was slightly taller than you, allowing him a vantage point.

“You know, you speak remarkably good English for a 4,000 year old Egyptian Pharaoh,” you said, using the end of your pencil to tap his nose.

“What can I say, it’s what everyone else speaks. I hardly ever speak Egyptian now except with my parents.”

“I guess that makes sense,” you said, growing slowly quieter. “Your version of the language is dead now.”

A clangor of Rex’s roar resounded from upstairs, a sound you now knew signified that everyone needed to return to their place.

“Just as I am soon about to be,” he said, grunting slightly as he stood. Without thought you stood with him, letting your pencil and paper fall to the ground clattering quietly. With a chuckle he looked you up and down, almost sarcastically wondering if you’d do anything else embarrassing. You just glared, the blushing heat in your cheeks obvious.

“Come on, let’s get you to bed,” you mumbled, leading him out the door and up the stairs. He followed, and the two of you walked to his old room in the museum.

As you reached the threshold he stopped, turning to you.

“I must leave you now,” he said, his words dramatic but his tone sincere. His hands came up to hold yours, another sign of his truthfulness.

“Try and do what I said?” He asked of you.

“What was that again?”

“Have some fun. Don’t hole up in that basement.”

You laughed, shaking your head.

“Sure.”

He left you with a smile, never wanting people to see him as he wrapped himself back up in his tomb. You understood his wish, obeying his need for privacy.

_Until tomorrow night,_ you thought to yourself.


	3. Anubis' Crime

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get started.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was enjoyable

On a bright, sunny day like any other in New York, you wandered through the streets. This day was like any other, as you had gotten up near dawn, eaten a healthy vegetarian breakfast, and wandered through the city for a while. You needn’t go to the florist, as you had already gone that week to replace the molted flowers from last week, so you stopped for a drink at a local coffee shop.

The only thing that was any different about this day was a terrible, nagging feeling you had that something awful had, or would, occur. You wondered, in your own negative mindset, if some people had felt this during the morning of 9/11. You hoped this terrible feeling wasn’t an omen of something so cruel.

During midday you took your nap, tossing and turning in bed, embroiled in the conflict of your heavy mind overthinking this Terrible Feeling. Eventually, tightened into a prison of blankets you fell asleep, a few odd nightmares spotting your otherwise eventless dreams.

“I’ll feel better,” you told yourself after waking up with the same terrible feeling as before, “if I sleep some more.”

That you did, taking three melatonin pills before collapsing once more on your bed, an alarm set for your job just in case you didn’t wake up in time. This time, your sleep was deeper, dark and blank, devoid of thought and movement. The only thing you felt was hot - curled in cloth that overheated your system, boiling your skin off and eating away at your bones.

This time, when you awoke, you found you’d left the heater on too high.

Also, you still had the Terrible Feeling.

You groaned to yourself, flopping back onto your pillow when you looked at the time. You’d awoken three minutes before your alarm, something that would usually delight you but instead made you feel as though you hadn’t slept enough.

“My God,” you said aloud to yourself, your voice hoarse. “I wish I was dead.”

Of course, this was a hyperbole. All you wished was that you didn’t have to get up and go sort through more papers. Even though this was probably your last day sorting through papers (you’d reached the letter ‘Y’ yesterday), you felt dread simply at the thought of having to work.

With a heavy grunt you hoisted yourself out of bed, untangling from the mess you’d gotten yourself into. After a quick shower and a small meal you expected the Terrible Feeling in your gut to go away, but it didn’t lingering on even as you reached the steps of the museum. Sighing deeply you went round the back, entering through the smaller, much less grand steps into the basement full of records.

You sat at the end, pulling out the first Y box, going through and making sure they were in order and still relevant, with all the correct information.

A few minutes later, steps, loud and many resounded upstairs, and you knew the tablet had gone to work. In a few minutes the King would be coming downstairs, perhaps along with Tilly, to try and distract you from your work. Most days, you’d laugh to yourself at the thought. Most people ignored you, not bothering to try and be friends with you. It was a nice change.

Today however, following the path of your Terrible Feeling, your stomach stirred in sickness, leaking out in the form of a light sweat that anxiously painted the palms of your hands.

_Maybe I’m just sick_, you thought to yourself, flexing your fingers against your palm. _Maybe I should just go home._

Thirty minutes had passed until you heard the footsteps of someone coming down. You didn’t turn to greet them, keeping focus on your work despite the sick feeling growing into your chest like insidious weeds overtaking fields of flowers.

No cloak dragged on the floor, but there was the clack of heeled boots.

“Hey Tilly,” you said, your voice noticeably weaker than usual.

“Hi… how’re you feeling?” She asked, sounding just as bad as you.

“Not great. Had a weird feeling all day,” you told her, sighing. She stood beside you, leaning against the wall.

“Same here. Hey, have you seen Ahk down here yet?” She asked, crossing her arms and looking at you with a concerned look.

“Uh, no. Hasn’t visited,” you said, looking up at her.

“Hm. I haven’t seen him. Want to come look with me?”

You paused, your eye twitching involuntarily before you stood.

“Alright,” you shrugged, knowing you’d have time. There was only one Z box and it was small.

Following her the two of you walked up into the brightness of the museum lights, blaring the 80’s music that most all exhibits could agree on. Ever the one better with socialization Tilly asked around, while you left to his exhibit. Ahkmenrah had decided to keep his tablet there, mostly for safety reasons, and considering how much he loathed to part with it, it wouldn’t be surprising to find him there.

Up the stairs you walked, leaving behind the calamity and chaos that eons of history brought. From your vantage point upon the balcony you could see at least three people doing something that would most definitely kill them if they were real people.

_People have always been stupid_, you laughed to yourself, turning back around to find his room.

You continued this line of thought as you wandered the halls, mostly thinking about the age old graffiti. Sometimes, historians would mistake the words for having religious impact, when most times it was something pornographic or stupid. A metaphor for humanity, really.

Upon entering the room the main difference was blazingly obvious - the centerpiece, hanging in its’ eternal, ancient glory, painted gold in intricate patterns of Egyptian hieroglyphs was so glaringly _not there._

Confused, you walked closer, eyebrows furrowed as you took slow steps. The guards towering over you in black majesty paid you little mind - Ahkmenrah had explained to them that they shouldn’t hurt anyone. Still, with such careful, near suspicious steps their eyes watched you, careful to jump at any sign of your treason.

Before you could fully circle round the sarcophagus lying as the centerpiece of the room, you saw a hand on the floor, the rest of the body obscured by the coffin. Your eyes widened, breath picking up as your feet skidded, knees falling to the ground as you fell to see who it was.

The golden robes had fallen in waves around his body, almost ornamenting his unconsciousness. His crown that he wore so adamantly, so much so that you hadn’t ever seen it off of him, was now cast aside, lying a few feet away from him.

Hands only shaking a little you attempted to wake him, feeling your legs go numb till his eyes slowly opened.

“Ahkmenrah! What happened?” You asked immediately, helping him to sit up as he knelt on his knees. He groaned, holding his head in his hands as you assisted him.

“I - the tablet, it’s…”

“Gone, I know, did someone take it?” You asked your queries hurriedly, hoping that if you did so you’d be able to call the police sooner. At that moment, it didn’t occur to you that you’d have to wait till morning either way.

“I saw him, I… I did not think he would show his face to mortals,” he mumbled, voice groggy and unclear as his weight fell into you. You supported him, trying to get him to lift his head.

“Who was it? Ahk,” you put your hand on his cheek, making him look up at you.

“Anubis.”

“I - I’m sorry?”

“Big dog head, hot body,” Ahkmenrah groaned, his head falling back onto your shoulder as he grunted in pain.

“Uh, yeah, no, right,” you fumbled, still holding him against you. Your eyes shifted around the room. As though it’d give you answers, like God would send you a sign.

“Gotta… gotta catch him, he’s got my tablet.”

“I know. Let’s go find your parents, maybe they’ll have an inkling as to what the hell is happening?” You suggested, not waiting for his answer before you pulled yourself to your feet, his arm slung around your shoulder as the two of you made your way out of the room and into the hallway.

When you finally found his parents most of the place had realized something was wrong. Apparently, if stories were to be true, the last time Ahkmenrah had been weak was when the tablet was dying.

“Your son says he saw Anubis steal his tablet?” You said immediately, not bothering with the niceties and thinking it wouldn’t bother them either. They glanced at each other, then back at you, their expression unchanging from the shock.

“Yes, I, uh, that makes sense,” his mother stammered, blinking rapidly. Ahkmenrah, no longer leaning against you, quickly added in his own input.

“I need to get it back,” he said, determination written in his tone and face.

“Hold on, you just got a concussion,” you stopped, holding your hands out in front of you.

“(Y/N), I’m dead.”

“That’s half the problem. What are you gonna do if it takes more than a night to find him? It’s almost dawn already! Everyone here is going to fall asleep and never wake up and what are we going to do? Call the police?” You began spiraling, tugging at your hair. “What are they gonna do? Can’t exactly shoot a god, right? Besides, Anubis is practically the Egyptian version of the god of death, you can’t kill death, right?”

“(Y/N)?” His father got your attention, seemingly now more solemn. You looked up, trying to regulate your breathing as you listened. “Shut up,” he said. Frowning, you obeyed.

“My son, you wish to go after it yourself?” Shepseheret asked, putting a gentle hand on his shoulder. In an almost meek way he nodded, but his stone cold expression remained.

“There is a way you could stay alive during the day, but it takes getting used to. It’s,” Merenkahre glanced at his wife, “unpleasant. And you’ll need to take someone alive with you.”

“I’ll go with him,” you volunteered yourself. Sure, a week ago you were freaking out about museum exhibits and ranting about how you weren’t ever supposed to be part of a fantastical story, but here you stayed calm. Besides, you were probably the best fit - you knew a lot about Anubis and you were, as needed, alive.

“I’ll explain the… ritual, to you,” his mother said, taking you both aside as the room began to fill with chatter of the events to come.

All in all, when she finished speaking, you sort of understood. She would use a specific paint to paint a symbol onto his forehead. It’d turn him to moveable stone during the day, and at night, he would become flesh and bone again. However, every night, you would need to make a blood sacrifice to repaint the symbol.

The young King did not seem to like that.

“Couldn’t we use the blood of a different creature?”

“It’s easier to use (Y/N)’s. Otherwise you’d have to be killing animals everywhere and you’d leave a blood trail,” his mother said.

“I’m fine with it. I just won’t cut my palm. Most nerve endings are there,” you agreed, remembering a stupid post online about explorers in movies.

“See? The child is fine with it.”

“_Mother_.”

“Come, I will get you ready,” she said, ignoring her sons’ berating and taking him to the side. You watched in interest as she pulled a purple bottle out of one of the glass cases. Assuming it was the special paint she’d spoke of, you sat down across, paying close attention as she drew the eye of horus upon his forehead.

“Oh, Eye of Horus. That’ll be easy enough I think,” you said when they’d finished. “Why is Anubis stealing the tablet? And now of all times? It’s pretty late in the game to do so.”

“He’s the oldest god of death. I suppose he doesn’t like my family coming alive every night,” Ahkmenrah sighed, standing up once his mother put the paint back.

“Right, but the role was taken over by Osiris, a long time ago. Isn’t Anubis supposed to be with the scales now? Deciding who’s good and bad?”

“Actually he’s the god of embalming,” his mother clarified.

“Also protector of tombs,” Ahkmenrah added.

“I know the stories.”

Osiris took over as Ruler of the Earth, then was killed by his brother Seth, who murdered him by putting him in a coffin, sealing it, and pushing it into the Nile. Osiris’ wife, and sister (you shivered, never one for incest) retrieved his body, but Seth cut up Osiris and scattered him through Egypt. It was Anubis himself, along with Isis and Nepthys who retrieved all of him back, except his penis, which was apparently very important, but either way Anubis wrapped the body up in the first process of embalming.

“It’s a disgusting story but yes, I know it. He’s a lot of things but it doesn’t answer my question, why is he interested now?”

“Probably some god drama made him king of the underworld again,” Ahk rolled his eyes, earning a chiding elbowing from his mother.

“Don’t disrespect them. Still, we need the tablet back. It was a gift from Khonshu.”

“My father says he insisted we never lose it.”

“Let’s go find it then.”

The three of you left back into the larger room, where the exhibits had grown louder, only calmed as Tilly frantically made her way through the crowd.

“The tablet was stolen?!” She asked, panting.

“Yes, we need to go get it, Ahkmenrah will be safe if he stays with me. Anubis stole it and I think I may have an idea as to where he might be going,” you explained quickly.

“You do?” Ahkmenrah asked, obviously impressed.

“Yep, let’s go.” You tugged his arm, pulling him off to the side to pull up a map on your phone.

“These are ley lines. Ancient magnetic lines that connect spiritual sites. There’s a major one in Canada near us, and the distance between the two worlds, ours and Duat, is smaller there. I think Anubis needs to go there. Thank God he doesn’t have wings, so he’s on foot like us, but we need to get your tablet back _before_ he goes to the underworld. I don’t think we’d survive a journey there.”

“Probably not,” he agreed easily.

“We should head out that way then. Anubis can turn into a dog, right?”

“Jackal.”

“Right. He’ll probably want to cut through the woods so we’ll follow that way. Thank god for snow, so he’ll be leaving tracks,” you said, pocketing your phone and turning to him.

“Do you think we should take Sacagawea along?”

You paused, ready to leave at a moments notice but stopped by his suggestion. It’d be smart, certainly, but that’d also mean more blood from you. Still… she was the best tracker in the whole museum and you had no idea what you were doing.

“Ask. I’ll get some more information from your parents,” you said, and he nodded, the two of you splitting off from your space next to the wall.

Finding his parents, they immediately pulled you aside before you could ask any questions.

“Ahkmenrah will turn to stone whence the day arrives. Immoveable stone,” Merenkahre said to you, his eyes stern.

“Shouldn’t you tell him that?”

“I believe it’s best not to. Remind him that it’s natural and after a few days he should be able to move his full body.”

Slowly, you nodded.

“Okay.”

A few minutes and he found you again, Sacagawea by his side. A few minutes more, she had the symbol upon the back of her hand. In just one more minute, the three of you had bid your good byes, and though Tilly had requested to come with, she rescinded her request when you explained the trek you had to make.

As you left the doors, reality sunk into you - you didn’t exactly have the right supplies for a journey in the middle of winter. You had a jacket, but it wasn’t a winter jacket, and what were you going to eat? Then you patted the cellphone in your pocket, remembering there were charging stations at every Starbucks, and that you had Apple pay. How modernly convenient.

The King had a stern yet worried look on his face as Sacagawea led you, and in a moment of comfort, you held his hand, squeezing once to assure him it’d be alright.

“We’ll get it back,” you told him quietly as she led you down alleyways and backstreets. His eyes glanced to you, burning with determination.

“I know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> nvm i proofread it, not enjoyable. borin. 2/10 for good grammar


	4. Distant Footprints

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first few days are always the hardest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is almost as long as the entirety of the first three chapters and i think that's hilarious

There must've been something about being not fully alive, something different than the fresh blood in your body versus the stale in his that made him warmer. That or he simply didn't mind the cold in the first place, which was an alarming fact to learn about an Egyptian Pharaoh, but you didn't mind it in the least when he let you borrow his cape for the evening. Fortunately the wind was mostly still, the earlier snowfall clearly marking the deep footprints leading into the nearby park. For a moment you thought to offer your car – it'd be easier to travel than it would be on foot, and you knew the exact destination more firmly after a quick few seconds of online research. Yet the second Sacagawea saw the tracks, the resolution in Ahk, you knew they would both want to stay on the exact trail that Anubis took. Gripping your phone tight in your pocket once more, you followed after them as they began down the steps.

Overhead, the light of a thin moon sat paled by the many street lamps and towering office buildings alight with midnight workers, dotted with the few stars light pollution would allow. As the snow continued to fall in fluttering flakes from the trees, you remembered to keep your eye on the road, and to keep your energy up; you'd need it. In the continuing silence of the traffic-heavy night you let yourself dwell on the dangers ahead, not just from law enforcement and simply dealing with terrain, but the godly dangers and the chaos of not truly knowing where you are, and the actual animals that _lived_ in the terrain you already feared. A sick festered in your stomach, eating away and forcing yourself to wonder if perhaps you were committing to something you didn't know well enough. That seemed what most people did when put in your type of situation, take the 'righteous' route, but you had to think about yourself. This was _real_ life, not some perfect fantasy where everyone survives. Death was real, death was right in front of you, and you were hunting it down. Quite literally. You felt another shiver run down your back through the thin material of your work clothes. Wrapping yourself tighter in Ahkmenrah's cloak, you sped up your pace, slowing when you caught up with the two of them.

"Can you even feel the cold?" You asked, a question intended for either one of them – even Sacagawea showed none of the winters' effects.

"I can," Ahkmenrah said, still staring forward but leaning closer to you. "Just not very well. It's a lot like that for my other senses."

"I can't at all. I don't think any of us wax figures can," Sacagawea added in a much softer voice. You hadn't heard her talk much, but you enjoyed the short times she did.

"Does that... do you have your other senses?" You asked, hoping she wouldn't take offense.

"Well I can see and hear, but I can't taste or really feel anything besides... a presence? It's a bit like I know it's there, I can feel it, but every touch feels the same."

"So hypothetically, you wouldn't be able to feel if someone stabbed you?"

"Oh, we actually know this one," Ahkmenrah interrupted, turning to the both of you with a smile. As you furrowed your brow in confusion, Sac joined in with a smile, nodding her head.

"Someone stabbed you?!" You asked astounded, almost impressed.

"No," she laughed. "Teddy got cut in half."

"Holy _shit_," you whispered out, awed. The next second you remembered your little talk to self earlier, _stay on task._

The conversation fell silent with you no longer contributing any more questions, and soon silence took purpose as you came out the other side of the park and back into the stone and cement. People lined the sidewalks not quite as frequently as the day, but well enough that you got more than a few stares, most of which you weren't too worried about. New Yorkers didn't ask questions. The only thing stuck in your mind was the fact that the roads were clear of the snowfall, and the track print muddied with the footprints of so many other people. She didn't stop, though – she led the two of you across the streets, somehow still keen on the trail. You wanted to ask, the urge almost free on your lips, but you managed to keep silent. She didn't need to waste herself on more questions, and you were only there to provide blood. It'd really be Ahkmenrah and Sacagawea doing all the work.

Slowly as you reached the edge of the city, the skyscrapers faded into suburbia, which grew into sprawling expanses of nature estate. As the road turned to highway, Sac left to follow the trail. You made sure to keep close behind. Hidden amongst the trees, feeling awfully small next to the towering pines, the clear sky above began to grow lighter. The stars slowly vanished, and the moon lost its' iridescence – another Terrible Feeling settled itself in your fingertips, of all places. It weighed, heavier and heavier as you continued walking until it weighed its heaviest, right when stone began crawling up Sac's feet at the sight of dawn's first rays.

"Oh, um," she said with a stumble, suddenly losing control over her feet and toppling over into the thin layer of snow. As she sat up, staring in horror at the stone slowly seeping up her skin and clothes, she began to crawl backwards, as though that would take her further away from the inevitable. Backing up into a tree stump, you began a feeble attempt at calming her down.

"Shepseheret said this would happen, it's perfectly natural -"

"She said I would be able to move!" She said with a gasp, reaching for her knee in pain as it solidified there.

"I know she did, but-"

"(Y/N)?" Ahk murmured in a shaky voice, and you could physically feel your heartbeat in your eyelids as you turned slowly, watching the stone begin to creep at his feet.

"Okay, your mother didn't want me to tell you, but apparently for the first few nights you won't be able to move, but - but you'll slowly gain control," you finally explained, rushing the sentence out in one breath.

"Why the hell would she say that? Telling us we're going to be petrified right as we're being petrified doesn't sound preferable to warning us ahead of time!" Ahk said in a panic. Leaving Sac's side you rushed to him, helping him sit slowly down in the snow, leant against a boulder.

"Listen I don't know, your mom is really mysterious and she says everything like she's got the only right way," you muttered, watching helplessly as the stone grew upon his skin like a disease.

"Yes, she's... just kind of like that," he breathed out, clearly trying to surpress several whimpers.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what to do, I don't - I don't know how to help," you said, your voice cracking as you glanced between the two of them. Sac looked to the sky as the stone reached her face.

"It's alright," Ahk muttered, shutting his eyes tight.

"It hurts, doesn't it," you said.

"A little. I suppose I'll probably get used to it, or whatever bullshit my mother said," he said, rolling his eyes, and you quickly pressed your lips tight together to avoid laughing. "You can go ahead and laugh, she's a beast sometimes."

"That's not the point, the point is that you're living out a little death," you sighed, looking over him and wondering how much pain he could be in. All your organs solidifying into stone slowly sounded like a rather painful process.

"Did you know that in french, little death m-"

With his mouth stuck in the 'm' position, he turned fully into stone, matching the cold and hardened position of Sac. Pulling her over, you set the two of them next to each other. They looked quite the pair – you contemplated taking a photo of them, before wondering if that was perhaps a tad inappropriate given the circumstances. Then again, they didn't need to know, and you had a whole day ahead of you of not doing anything. 

Or maybe they could see you.

You stood in front of them for a good long while, wondering if you could act like you did in private, or if this was a coma-like situation where the person could hear you. At the end of a well-thought discussion with yourself you decided it would be best not to risk it, especially considering you didn't know either of them all that well.

The sun began to rise over the snow-dusted hills, shining warm onto the cloak Ahkmenrah had given you earlier. Taking a deep breath, you sat down beside them, realizing that perhaps your sleep schedule would have to change. Considering you had a night job, the schedule wouldn't have to change all too much. You curled up between them with the cape covering every bit of you that it could. As your thoughts drifted slowly into sleep, you wondered on the future, and if they would ever need to sleep. They weren't technically alive, and they didn't need to eat, so you'd probably be a hindrance on their mission. But that was not for current you to worry about. You recalled some good advice you'd heard from somewhere; if you let yourself be anxious beforehand, then you're just putting yourself through it twice. On that note, your breathing slowed and evened as dreams took your waking mind.

You awoke around afternoon that day, your phone on it's last dredges of a battery percent. With that you checked the time (there was little use otherwise since you had no connection), which showed to be 4.57. A decent amount of sleep certainly, but it still left you with about an hour before sunset, meaning an hour before you could continue on your way. Casting caution to the wind (but only slightly) you stood to take a single photo of them leant against each other. It was cute, but not that worth it if they were angry.

With the remaining time you explored the small area a little more, and even though you didn't need to, the trip to nearby rushing water was a beautiful sight. In the distant mountains the sun began to set once more, and darkness came over the land. Hurrying back up the mountain, you prayed your eyes could adjust enough to let you see the way. Fortunately it didn't take long to make it back up to where Ahk and Sac were hidden, and for the few minutes you had left, you watched the stars form in the sky and noted a gratefulness that it had yet to truly snow on your journey.

Their turning back into flesh and, well, wax, was much more interesting than their original turn from flesh and wax to stone, and to be fair, the first turning was quite interesting on its' own. In a very sudden burst, what sounded like a tiny firecracker lit off beside you, and Sac was suddenly in color again. She grasped at her clothes, affirming her own existence before letting out a relieved sigh.

"Good to be back?" You asked as she leaned against the boulder, her eyes closed in a distant smile.

"Yes. I was getting tired of not being able to move," she said, turning to face you only a moment before she shut her eyes once more, still smiling.

"Does that mean -"

Another crackle snapped off beside you, making your skin jump. In an instant you turned to face Ahk, who was patting himself down much like Sac had done. 

"Hello!" He said in an awfully cheery voice, smiling in a bright way that made your own expression soften. He was a welcome gentleness on your trek.

On your other side Sac began to cough, quickly turning into hacking that spit blood and rocks out of her mouth. Almost horrified you stared on, unsure of what to do, as the blood splattered dark on the snow. It didn't last long, though – Ahk joined in a second later but it was all finished in less than a minute. Still left you feeling disgusted.

"Are... are you alright?" You asked, setting a careful hand on her shoulder.

"Um... yes, surprisingly," she said slowly, unable to tear her gaze away from the blood splatter.

After another moment of rest, you helped the two of them to their feet, stabilizing their shaky legs. Without actually knowing you assured them it would get easier, and after brushing yourselves off you headed back onto Anubis's trail. How Sacagawea knew where he went was a mystery to you and Ahk, but it wasn't something entirely unexpected; nonetheless, you remained impressed as she tracked footsteps that had nearly disappeared altogether. In the darkness you did your best to watch the ground, making sure you didn't trip over any loose roots or twigs. Ahk kept his eye on the sky, stumbling several times but paying his clumsiness no mind. You wondered once more why he was doing that before reminding yourself that it wasn't really your place to ask questions. Again you recalled that, for the most part, you were only there for blood.

Which you forgot.

"Wait, wait, sorry, we have to stop," you said, tugging on Sac's hand, who turned around expectantly. "I forgot the blood," you explained, wondering how you could get it out of you. "I don't have a knife, or..."

"I do," she offered helpfully. Pulling her dagger from the intricately beaded sheath, she handed it to you, letting you choose where to bleed from.

Looking down at your arms you calculated where the best place would be. Wrists or the top of your arms might work well, but it'd look an awful lot like self harm – not that that really mattered, especially when the main alternative would be to slit your palm. Biting your lip, you took the dagger to your skin, cutting a smooth, shallow line into the top of your arm. In your shaky hands the dagger dropped to the ground, and as you tried to get your breathing under control you squeezed the cut.

"I'm not sure it's deep enough," Ahk said quietly, catching your eye for a second before you looked back down at the tiny droplets of blood coming out.

"No, probably..." you blinked away tears, "probably not."

"This'll get easier," Sac assured you, picking up the dagger.

"That's true, skin gets easier to cut the more you do it, but..." Ahk looked to you, then to Sac, who was already looking at you.

"Can one of you do it?" You asked, watching as they both flinched.

They were expecting the question, though that made it no less hard to hear, but Ahk was resolved. He took the knife from Sac's hands and, grasping your hand in his, he cut a deeper injury into your skin, the blood already pooling at the end of it when he drew the knife away. You let out a sharp gasp, swallowing thick to avoid yelping in pain. He gave you a sympathetic look, but you just nodded, looking back down at the wound and smearing the blood onto your thumb.

"Very cult-like experience," you mumbled, mostly to yourself as you drew the eyes back onto their skin.

"It's actually a lot like one of the rituals in my family," Sac said as you took her hand, wiping your blood onto the back of it.

"Same here, but it was mostly for festivals," Ahk added.

"And I suppose Christians still drink the blood of Christ every Sunday so, maybe we're not all so different," you said, still feeling a little sick and awfully shaky.

They nodded halfheartedly, glancing at each other with confused expressions. You should've known better than to mention Christianity – there was no reason that either of them would know it. Ahk was born four thousand years before Jesus and Sac never went to Church. _Four thousand years before Jesus_, you thought to yourself, shivering at the thought of knowing someone who'd been alive back then. Every now and then that feeling would return, the feeling you had the first night you met him – the ceaseless realization that this man was old. _Old_ old, as in six thousand years old, six _thousand_. It hadn't even been two thousand years since Christ died. He was astronomically old, but somehow he managed to stay a lighthearted man, even with being a King, the many years locked away in his coffin, the years stuck an ocean away from his family.

At least Sac was just made of wax. She had the memories, sure, but she wasn't physically there. It was a mild comfort in a place that offered little respite.

The three of you kept on your path, Ahk muttering quietly to himself as he ripped up part of the decorations on his skirt. You watched in mild intrigue, wondering what he could be doing, before he took your wounded arm and began wrapping the cloth around the cut. At first you tried to stop him, stumbling over your words as you gently tugged away from him, but he looked at you with a smile, and all you could do then was relax and let him tend to the wound.

Hidden amongst the trees, the waxing moon helped light the way best it could, showing the few stones and sticks in your path. Along the way Sac picked up a walking stick, a thick, branchless stick that handled well in the snow. She continued to lead the way, into the brush and onto well marked paths. They all felt the same to Anubis, that much was clear – he made no certain path and followed no rule, winding around trees and putting himself in clear sight of the road just as much as he hid in the bushes. It wasn't all too long until you could pick up the scent of something, something that neither of them could smell; you attributed that to their less-than-alive state. As you continued the scent grew stronger, till you could easily recognize it as smoke and burning meat. Saliva formed quick in your mouth, and as your stomach let out a loud growl, you recalled that you hadn't eaten since you'd left to go to work.

"There should be a town up ahead," Sac told you the instant your stomach made a noise. You flushed red, embarrassed at your own human needs, even though you didn't have to be.

She was right, to your fortune – the path you followed began to follow a hiker's trail, leading into an area dotted with houses, before you reached a paved street. Stricken with hunger and cold you followed the pavement, leading the way for the first time. Once the street began to reflect the light of lamps inside the couple of still-open stores, you felt relief fill your body, and a sigh left you. Food was within grasp, as was a change of clothes.

"Do either of you actually need to eat?" You asked, gazing up at the neon Open sign in one of the stores.

"I don't... think so?" Ahk said, looking to Sac and then back at you.

"Didn't think so. You'll need a change of clothes, though," you said as you directed them inside the small shop, immediately heading to the back area where the clothes were kept in neat stacks.

You let them wander the shop, looking for their own clothes as you looked through the food aisles, wondering what snack would fit you best, and if you should bring more for future times. That'd be best, you thought, to have food on hand. Looking down at your phone with your checking account open, you grimaced at the thought of having to buy anything too expensive. With a glance back to Sac and Ahk, you decided it was a necessity – you couldn't go around looking like you did with them in their 'costumes.' Connecting to the poor, free WiFi, you called up McPhee, who answered after several rings.

"(Y/N)? Is everything alright? Have you found it yet?" He immediately asked, his nose stuffy even over the crackling of the phone line.

"Everything is fine, we haven't found it yet but we're on the trail. Had to stop to get food for me and new clothes for all of us, I'm afraid we'll attract some stares, but I... I don't have much money in my savings," you said slowly, hoping he wouldn't have any adverse reactions to your flimsy request. All you heard was static and the heavy, distant breathing, before he finally answered.

"I... ugh," he groaned wearily. "I'll send you some money. What's your account or whatever?"

"I can text you instructions. Just needed to make sure you'd get the message now, we can't really afford to stay in this town very long."

"Where are you?"

"A little alarming but I have literally no idea."

"... fair enough. I'll send the money."

He hung up, and with that another weight was lifted from your shoulders. Heading into the back of the store, you helped Ahk and Sac find the changing rooms, and as they fitted into their new clothes you picked out your own. Going through the discount racks, you found a thick enough winter coat and better boots than the ones you'd been wearing, which were already well-worn and ratted. While you were fine with the pants you already had, you found cheap ones that had more pockets, which would definitely come in handy. On your way to the dressing rooms, you picked up a satchel. That'd help you store the food.

The dressing rooms had a very cabin-like feel to them, with dark wood pillars on either side of the thin door. Opposite the door a large mirror was stuck to the wall, and to the right of that, a line of hooks with a few garments already strung about them. As you dressed into the new clothes, you heard Ahk talking to Sac across the half-walls.

"I feel half exposed," he said, a little grunt following it. "What's with all the space above and below the walls?"

"That's just what dressing rooms are," you explained quietly, followed by silence.

"That's stupid," Ahk said after a while. You agreed easily, but you said nothing, stepping outside as you finished.

Ahk had left his crown behind, which you hadn't really noticed until then, paired with the brand new clothes. He wore a large raincoat made of dark wool, with one massive pocket in the middle of it. The sleeves drooped at his wrists, a strap tightened around the wrist bone and the extra material loose in his grasp. A scarf wrapped around his neck, coming right up to his jaw. One end rested against his chest, and the other lay at his back, running long till it reached his hips. The sandals and skirt he had worn were traded in for pants and large, yellow boots, with the black pants tucked into the shoes. All in all, a very different, almost modern look for him – you would've assumed nothing about him had you seen him on the streets.

"Nice bag," he noticed with a smile, gesturing to the satchel around your shoulders. You chuckled, looking down at your own outfit. In your opinion, and apparently in Ahk's as well, you didn't look too bad, and a massive plus was that it was much warmer and _much_ more comfortable than the button down you'd been wearing.

"Nice scarf," you replied. He beamed.

Sac exited her room a few moments later, wearing a large trapper hat lined with grey fur and made of faux deerskin. The braids so neatly falling down her shoulders were obscured by both the hat and the large, furry coat she wore, which looked much like her hat, lined with fur and made of faux deer skin. She clearly liked the outfit, and to you it matched her quite well – you knew Native Americans usually used those types of colors and fashions in their clothes back then. Like Ahk, she had traded her skirt in for pants and boots, though her boots were much more matched to mountain climbing shoes.

"I'd suggest we all get bags and weapons," you said, remembering that the wild wasn't exactly a safe place, and the knives on the wall in front of you only assured you of their necessity. Ahk agreed, but as Sac already had her weapon, she headed off to the baggage department.

Looking up at the top of the wall, Ahk stood still, only moved when you came to stand beside him.

"Trouble choosing?"

"No, it's not that, I..." he drifted off in thought, looking back up at the knives. "My brother, his weapon was a knife. Mine was a bow."

"Like a bow and arrow?"

"Yes, I wasn't too bad at it either," he said with a distant smile. "My parents say he used a knife to.. on me."

"Oh."

You hadn't met his brother. Supposedly a lot of the exhibits had, and almost everyone's story of him was horribly violent and cruel. Cringing at the thought of Ahk being forced to live with him at a young age, you looked back up at the knives, thinking that maybe he didn't need a knife.

But it was dangerous. Far too dangerous to go without a weapon, and the only weapon they sold for a good price was the knife.

"Do you want me to choose for you?" You asked quietly, setting a gentle hand on his arm. He looked to you, hesitating before he nodded, closing his eyes with a sigh.

Stepping forward, you examined the wall – something gold, he liked gold, at least you thought he did. He definitely drenched his fashion in it. Low in the left corner you spotted a dagger with gold dug into the hilt, thin strands of it reaching up into the silver blade where it ran along the thick edge, opposite the razored edge. You reached for it, fiddling with it and pulling it out of the sheath. The sheath itself was rather plain, but the dagger had a nice grip and was long. Stabbing the air, it felt light enough to carry and easy enough to use, and you handed it to Ahk for him to feel out. He did much what you did, fiddling and stabbing the air before he smiled soft and nodded.

"I think you can keep it in your sleeve, see," you said as you undid the strap around his wrist, pushing the sleeve up till it reached his elbow. There you used the straps on the sheath to wrap it around his arm, pulling the too-loose sleeve back down and tightening the wrist part once more. Waving his arm a bit to ensure it wouldn't fall, the two of you headed off in silence to find Sac.

She was in the baggage section as expected, twirling in front of the mirror with her new coat undone, revealing the many bags and knives hidden away underneath the thick cloth. Seeing the several daggers (none of which you could pay for) tucked into her coat made your eyes bulge, hoping to God that there wasn't any cameras watching you. She was definitely set to go with her bags, so you turned to help Ahk find his, only to see him fitting a large, thick backpack onto his shoulders.

"What do you think of this one?" He asked, looking at himself in the mirror past Sac's reflection.

"It's certainly big enough," you said quietly, helping him get his scarf out from between the bag and his back.

"What should we do with our old clothes?" Sac asked, bringing up a very good point that you hadn't thought about. You couldn't take them with you, that'd just wear you down – sure the two of them didn't need to eat, but they had a finite amount of strength. It wasn't like they could lift a car. Well... maybe they could, but you didn't feel like chancing it.

"Maybe we could stow them away somewhere?" You suggested meekly, having very little idea on what would actually work.

"Could we possibly leave them with the shopowner? Like we take care of his clothes, he takes care of our clothes, then we don't have to pay for them?" Ahk asked, looking to the shopowner for a split second before turning back to your little huddle.

"Shops don't work like that anymore. He wouldn't trust us to actually return the clothes in good condition."

"That's fair. I think our best bet is to hide them somewhere safe, somewhere nearby," Sac said, earning nods from you and Ahk. Bundling up your clothes, you stuffed them into Ahk's bag, to be hidden at a later time while you paid for the clothes you currently wore.

Heading up to the counter, you made sure the two of them knew to interact as little as possible with the cashier. Suspicion was something you were all to wary of, and as Ahk commented, you were 'suspicious of suspicion.' You wondered if he was always trying to make jokes like that as a kid.

"Hi, we're travelling and we had to do some pretty big clothing changes, so um..." the cashier looked at you with dull eyes, "we're wearing what we're buying."

"... right," he said, his gaze flickering between the three of you.

"So here's the tags from everything," you said as you ripped the tags off your pants and jacket, which he took warily, followed by the tags from everything else.

"That'll be $1,890," he drawled looking to you expectantly. You almost threw up.

"No problem," you gritted out, pulling your phone from your pocket and checking your account balance, which was quite a bit more. You'd have to remember to thank McPhee.

With much regret in your heart, you paid and left the shop, only remembering the hidden knives and Sac's many hidden bags when you entered a fast food restaurant. You said nothing, not to your friends and certainly nothing to the next cashier who was taking your order.

"What's all y'all's names?" She asked in a rather chipper voice, especially for the time of night.

"I'm (Y/N)," you said, turning to Ahk and Sac, wondering what the hell you could name them. "This is... Rami. And Socks."

_Socks_?

The cashier looked at you with an unchanged expression, shocked into stillness. Stumbling over your words, you finished your order fast as you could, and made to stand in the corner with Ahk and Sac.

"Socks? Did you just call me Socks?" She asked, almost laughing.

"I'm so sorry, I don't - I didn't know what to say, it's just, we call you Sac and it kind of sounds like socks, oh God," you grumbled, hiding your face in your hands. They just laughed, Ahk patting you on the back.

"Where'd you get my name from?" Ahk asked once you'd calmed down.

"I had a friend in childhood named Remi but you don't really look like a Remi, not very... fitting for you, I suppose," you said, excusing yourself as your name was called.

Approaching the counter, you readied to thank her, before she said in a much softer voice, "is your friend, um.. _Socks_, is she single?"

You paused, put into the same shock you'd put her into, frozen in your stance.

"... Yes," you said in a very firm voice, something you weren't aware you were doing.

"Uh... good," she replied, and with that the two of you rushed away from each other, separately complaining to your friends on how embarrassing you'd each been.

"She asked if you were single and I said yes like an idiot but then she didn't say anything! She didn't like, react or anything, she just said 'good'? Who says that?" You whined once you exited the restaurant, your bag of snacks in hand. Fast food restaurants rarely had vegetarian options, so it was usually best to go with salads, fries, and that sort of thing.

"Calm down, it's not like you ever have to see her again," Ahk said, unable to stop chuckling.

"Oh sure, it's real fun for you, who didn't have to actually talk to her! God, it's like my mind just went blank, and I -"

"(Y/N)?" Sac murmured, hitting your arm. You stopped in your tracks, looking directly in front of you, where a man stood. With a gun. Pointed at you.

"Keep quiet and I won't hurt you," he said in a low voice, his large hood obscuring his face.

_Small towns usually aren't susceptible to muggers_, you thought to yourself, groaning internally when you realized you didn't actually have any cash on you. He would be wanting cash, and you had none, meaning he would definitely get violent.

On each side of you, Ahk stood curious, and Sac stood almost... angered? No, she was definitely scared, but she didn't let it show – Ahk on the other hand didn't know what a gun was, certainly not a pistol the size of the one the man had.

"I don't have any cash on me, but if you let me -"

"That's a filthy fucking lie and you know it, I've watched you, you've been buying left and right," he hissed, taking a step forward till the end of the gun jabbed right into your abdomen.

_I do _not_ need this right now_, you thought, your brain panicking as sweat formed on your neck, adrenaline rushing a high through your arms and legs.

A snap came from beside you, quiet enough that the man did not move, and in the next second Ahk had a hand on the man's shoulder and a dagger deep in the man's stomach. A loud gasp left you unwillingly as Sac's eyes widened. She remained silent, but you stayed petrified as you watched Ahk slowly help the man sit down on the dirty, roadside snow. You heard a thick, squelching sound come from the knife as it left the warmth of the body, followed by a sharp gasp from the man, his eyes glazing over as breath left him.

In shock, you stared at the man with wide eyes, mouth hanging open as you contended with what had just happened.

"Ahk you can't just kill people!" You said in a single breath, rushing the words out quietly as you continued to stare in horror.

"He was hurting you!" He hissed, putting a hand on your shoulder and dragging you away from the body.

"We need to leave now," Sac said, helping Ahk push you far away from the main streets and leading you back into the wilderness. Rushing to hide the clothes behind the store you’d just been in, you left as soon as possible, hiding in the safety of the woods.

Even as she caught the trail of Anubis once more, you stayed in shock, though much more open to suggestion than you were before. Ahk kept his hand in yours, leading you down the path as your mind strayed to try and go through what had just happened. It played over and over again in your head, the spluttering of the man, the blood on the snow – why had he done that? Yes, you were in danger, but the automatic response to danger should be to protect which, now that you thought about it, was _technically_ what he did, not that it was a good decision, and certainly not that you condoned it, but he had protected you in a sick way. You couldn't deny that.

Yet to so easily jump to violence, so quickly and succinctly decide to commit to such a sin just because a friend was in danger, that was something that both terrified you and impressed you. Ahk was certainly something, and you weren't quite sure if you liked it anymore. Nonetheless he returned quickly back to the joking, kind person you recognized so easily, keeping your hand in his gloved hand and leading you along.

As the sky began to lighten you recalled the look in his eye as he'd done it, the absolute resolution and determination, as though it was the only right thing to do. It was like stone had overtook him once more, his face filled in bitter resentment of the man, showing no reaction at his death, showing no cruelty and no kindness.

"The sun will rise soon. We should find somewhere safe to stay," Sac said, disconnected from the words she spoke. Distant from your own thoughts, you nodded, and followed her lead.

When she stopped underneath a bridge, you took in your surroundings, feeling Ahk's hand slip away from yours. The warmth faded away and, as the sun began to rise above the blurred, far off horizon, you sat between them and let them find some sort of comfort in your warmth as they turned. Their hands gripped tight around your arms as the pain flooded through them, solidifying you into that position. Unable to escape, you closed your eyes, and slipped off into an uneasy sleep.


	5. Stories and Degrees

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They can speak now. Perhaps the day won't be so lonely anymore.

It took much longer than you thought it would before they actually gained a semblance of control over their stone bodies. That morning under the bridge they remained perfectly still, though you swore you could see Sac move her eyes just slightly, but they stayed silent until evening. You used the time to catch up on your own sleep, hindered only slightly by the bright sun. Much like the last time you awoke at around 4 or 5 – your phone was out of battery and you didn't wear a watch, but you assumed the time from the sun's position in the sky. And, just like last time, you watched the sun set behind the tall pine trees till the two of them exploded bits of rocky shrapnel across the snow. Once more, they coughed up blood and pebbles (though much less this time), and with that you headed off once more.

Yes, this was much better – not so cold anymore, and much more prepared. The food in your satchel continued to be a great comfort to you, alongside the knife hidden in your large jacket pocket. Traipsing through the snow that grew much higher the further you went into the mountains, you had little energy left to wonder how Sac was still on Anubis' trail, and Ahk had little energy to crack the jokes and puns he usually did. Instead the three of you were eerily quiet, as though watching the forest with a suspicion that it'd turn on you any moment.

Tugging at his scarf to loosen it's grasp on his neck, Ahk turned to you for a moment, smiling wearily before looking back down at his feet, hidden in the height of the snow. Maybe you should've gotten big boots like they had. Yours were much shorter, and with the snow nearly coming up to your knee, the cold seeped through your pants and froze your skin.

_This is what actual adventures are,_ you assured yourself as it became harder to breath. Bilbo Baggins' adventure was a perfect example of that – he brought along every necessity and nicety (except his handkerchief) and was still miserable. Somehow he managed to stay mostly positive even with the dreadful weather conditions and the whole hunting down an actual dragon, which, now that you thought about it in your hazy mind, wasn't all too different from you hunting Anubis.

Panting, you kept your eyes on your feet. As much as you knew the sky would most likely be beautiful, your eyes were feeling rather muddy, and you knew even if you looked up you probably wouldn't be able to see much through your exhaustion. So you kept on the ground, watching for stuck roots and large rocks blocking the path Sac made through the snow. She had to have it the hardest, leading the way, carving the path in the snow – if Anubis _had_ come this way, he either did it before the snowfall or he was light enough to step on snow. Like Legolas. You felt a twinge of envy when you remembered that scene in Lord of the Rings.

Once more, this time feeling a whole lot sooner, the sun began to rise, and the three of you took shelter beneath a pine tree where it hadn't snowed. Pulling down a couple pine-covered branches, you insulated the ground as best you could, and laid yourself to rest between the two of them. Both clutching your arm once more, they turned to stone.

They could blink.

"Sometimes," Ahk said in a quiet breath, your trio back on the road with the stars stuck in the sky, "when I turn to stone, it feels like dying again, but I retain my consciousness after death."

"Is it painful to die? Like actually die, not the stone thing," you asked.

"A little. It feels more like your body goes empty, like you stop breathing, and everything yearns to start up again but then it goes black," he explained vaguely, which was fair enough in your mind – death had to be at least somewhat hard to explain, and he did a good job all considered.

For the first time in two days you looked up as you continued walking, watching the belt of stars hang above you, marking the Milky Way. Life was truly miraculous. To live in a place so beautiful and for so many to completely ignore it and exploit it to gain manmade things that mean so very little. Turning back to the ground, you reminded yourself that you weren't there to hypothesize on the meaning of life and its' intrinsic sadness; you were there for blood. Which you were beginning to remember in the evenings.

Every now and then Sac would stop, kneeling closer to the snow and looking in the many directions the God would've gone. You and Ahk used those times to sit and catch your breath. Whilst Sac rarely tired, you and Ahk were, unfortunately, still made of flesh and bone (well, him half the time) that both tired and warmed you.

Within a few hours Sac noted that the sun would rise soon, and the search for a shelter ensued. She made sure you didn't stray too far from the path, and due to that rule the only shelter you could find was a small overhang beneath a cliff where the snow hadn't reached quite as heavily. The three of you brushed the small layer of snow off the ground and, like the night before, you set pine needle branches on the ground so you wouldn't lose too much heat. Sure, the sun was indeed warm during the day, but not warm enough, and clouds were beginning to gather overhead, promising a foggy, grey day. Slowly, the dark became light, and stone crept up their bodies as you watched.

They blinked. And then Sac spoke.

"It's snowing," she said in a soft voice, her eyes trained on the outside of the small 'cave.' You turned, confirming that yes, it was snowing, and yes, the footprints she was following were probably going to be gone by evening.

"Fuck," you whispered, collapsing from your knees to your butt on the pine floor.

"It's going to get really cold," she said, the harsh words somehow sounding like a comfort. You nodded. "You should start a fire."

"I don't know how," you said, rubbing your face tiredly with your hands.

"That's okay. I can walk you through it if you like," she offered, which you quickly accepted as you stood.

As she began to go through the instructions regret crept into your thoughts when you remembered the lighter and matches from the clothes shop. If you'd bought that then there wouldn't be need for her to tell you anything except to gather firewood, which you could already do. You'd started a fire before, but you were rather young, and you had fire starter and kindling and all the wood was dry. Carving a path in the layers of snow, it stayed fresh in your mind that most of the wood you collected would be hard to light up. Shaking your head you promised to stay hopeful, and gathered as much loose twigs and wood as you could carry.

You returned, by Ahk's count, an hour later.

"I counted. Every second of it," he said, his tone changing to match the main character in a romance movie, mocking and humorous. You chuckled, setting the wood down as Sac told you to.

"Did you get the moss as well?" She asked as you began to arrange the tent of wood.

"Yeah, right.." you dug into your pocket, pulling out a large bundle of it, "here."

"Set that underneath the fire," she told you, which you automatically obeyed.

"Now what?"

"Well... you can either try to find hard stone to spark or creating friction in the wood so it starts a fire," she said, which mostly passed over your head. To be fair, you hadn't been eating much as you had to ration your food, and it was starting to get cold.

"Um... right," you said as you regained consciousness, leaving the overhang and their stone bodies to find rocks. That sounded the easier route.

Digging through the lighter snow beneath the trees, you managed to find 'hard' rocks, as Sac had put it – ones that didn't fall into shale or dirt whenever you squished them or knocked them against a tree. You took several more than what was necessary, just in case some of them didn't work. Returning to the makeshift camp, you knelt before the fire, one rock in each hand, and awaited her instructions.

"Hit them against each other at an angle, sort of like," you could tell she was trying to motion it, but her arms wouldn't life, "like they're just brushing past each other, but hard."

"I think I get it," you said, never feeling more uncertain in your life. Well, except maybe when you first realized that you were actually looking for death, that was a bit of a shock.

Once, twice, three times you hit the rocks together, getting nothing. If only Sac knew exactly what types of rocks would work. She actually did, but she didn't know the words in English, and you certainly didn't speak her native language. You barely spoke Arabic. Sure, hieroglyphs interested you, but language was not something you were incredibly into. You tried several more times, before the rocks began to grow hot beneath your touch, and a spark left them, falling into the moss but not taking to the flame.

"There we go! Just a couple more times," she assured you with a smile, trying her best to see beneath the wood in her stale position.

Joyous at her praise, you continued a few more times before the spark finally caught flame and began to burn through the moss to alight the wood above it.

"That's... interesting," Ahk said distantly, watching the fire with his stone eyes.

"What's that supposed to mean?" You asked with a soft laugh, sitting beside the fire and across from them. The flames began to flicker higher and higher.

"I never really had to start any fires as a child so I never actually thought about _how_ fires are started," he said, nodding as much as his body would allow as he thought back.

"There's more ways than that," Sac told him.

"And we've invented much easier ways to start fires. But," you said, half interrupting Sac, "in Egypt most fires were started with wood on wood friction."

"Friction?"

"You know how your hands get warm when you rub them together?"

"Yes?"

"That's friction. If you do it with a more flammable substance and for long enough, it'll get really hot and usually that starts fire," you explained.

"Interesting... in my home we usually had servants who started the fires. Not that we needed them very often, most of it was just... ceremonial," he said, trailing off at the end.

"I'm sorry, what is servants?" Sac asked, looking rather embarrassed for not knowing.

"They're people you pay to do things for you, like they're sort of paid to take care of you?" Ahk attempted at explaining, his attempt confusing even you.

"So... like a mother?" Sac said slowly.

"No, not really," Ahk said, sucking in a sharp breath. "I was a prince so we had a lot of money. We also had a lot of duties, which is why we had so much money, and less time to take care of ourselves, so... servants."

"I don't think I really understand."

"Do you know what a monarchy is?" You asked, shifting your position on the hard floor.

"I've... heard of it? I have a vague idea. It is like our chiefs?"

"Yes, for the most part," you said, happy to act a mediator between the two cultures. "Egyptians believed a single family held the right to rule because they were descended from Gods. Because of this genetic 'right to rule,' they were chosen to oversee their kingdoms and take care of the people living there. People built things for them and in return the people were offered safety. What I'm trying to say is that because they had to take care of so much, they were offered a lot of money, and lived in general luxury. Ahk here was the son of the King."

"I was also the King for a short time," he said proudly, a smug smile crossing his face.

"It must've been lonely," Sac said, which was not what either of you expected her to take away from your explanation.

"I suppose so. That's not usually what people say when they learn I'm royal," Ahk said with a furrowed brow, attempting to turn and face her, which was unsuccessful.

"That's unfortunate."

"I'm a little confused. Ahk, didn't you have like four brothers?" You asked, tilting your head to the side curiously.

"Three, actually. Two older, one younger, but the only nice one was Khufu, he was the, uh, younger one. Kahmuh - or, I suppose his name is Kahmunrah now, anyway, he wasn't exactly a delight to hang out with -"

"I noticed," Sac said dully. Ahk chuckled.

"Yes, rather horrid person all around. My other brother was Khafra. He was quiet, I never really got to know him. I suppose I only had one friend," he said, sounding distant from himself, staring into the flames as he recalled his past.

"What was their name?" You asked in genuine intrigue.

"Mahjur. I met them around a month after they were born, I was ten or nine at the time. We spent basically all our time together, we uh," he let out a snort, an emotionless half laugh, "we got into a lot of trouble. I actually remember this one time when we were still rather young, I talked them into stealing wine from the kitchen while all the adults were passed out at the feast. Together we drank the whole jug which, by the way, was a massive jug, and we completely blacked out. Neither of us could remember what happened in the morning, which was a little worrying since we switched clothes."

You laughed, the image of Ahk waking up as a young teenager wearing his best friends' clothes clear in your mind. He smiled as well, but his was far more sorrowful, and he fell silent when the story finished.

"Oh, I forgot to mention they were a God, Bastet's child I believe," he said after a moment of quiet, the wind brushing past the overhang and blowing a couple flakes of snow inside.

"Really? I've never heard of them in my studies. I don't think anyone has," you said, suddenly far more interested in the subject. Sure, you'd gotten a degree surrounded entirely around Egypt and its' gods, but there was always room for more, especially if it was coming straight from the mouth of a 6,000 year old Pharaoh.

"I doubt anything would remain of them. They were pretty solitary and didn't really do their job, plus it was sort of 'taboo' to talk about them since they were the protector of the forgotten," he explained, to which you nodded with a quiet 'ah.'

"Yes, but besides Mahjur – well, I should say before Mahjur – I mostly did star charts in my free time."

"I've always loved stars," you said, "but I've never gotten into the science of them."

"I did," Sac added in, struggling to nod. "It was more of a necessity for me, though. We didn't have any of the fancy directional tools or well-made maps that we have now, but the stars would tell when the seasons come and go and which direction you're going in."

"Did you enjoy learning about them?" You asked.

"Not really," she said with a giggle. "I mean they're beautiful, but it's very... technical, for me."

"Actually, I have a question for you," you said suddenly, turning to face Sac, who looked up expectantly. "In school we learn a lot about Lewis and Clark and their expedition. I learned a lot about it since my grandparents are pretty big Montana history buffs for some reason, but no one really asked you what you thought of the whole situation. It was always about Lewis and Clark, which, as we all know, is totally unfair."

"You want me to tell you what I thought about white men exploring my territory to sell off to some rich king somewhere?"

"Okay, anger is expected and absolutely fair, white men can be massive assholes," you said with a laugh, and fortunately she saw the humor in it as well. "I think all of us have suffered at the hands of white men."

"How have I suffered?" Ahk asked, a genuine question which surprised you. It was pretty obvious to you how his life had been ruined by white men. Then again, Ahk was probably thinking about when he was alive, before Egypt was 'discovered'.

"Your tomb was opened by a bunch of white men in an excavation in the 50's which tore you apart from your family and separated you not only from your culture and home, but for a time your tablet and security," you explained to him, which he quickly understood.

"Right. Forgot about that," he laughed. "You know, it's actually rather funny, that tablet – I still don't understand why my father had it created."

"It was to live with you after death, right?" Sac asked, leaning forward as much as she could.

"No, he's got a point. The Egyptian belief was that the soul would live on after death and enter a sort of 'stage two' part of life along with everything or everyone they were buried with. I've been wondering about that for a while now, it's just odd for your father to do that if he already believed he would see you," you said, voicing a concern you'd been thinking about for a long while.

"I have a feeling it's mostly because he's paranoid. I wouldn't put it past him that he simply didn't trust the Gods very much, but considering he literally spoke to Khonsu, there's little reason for him to disbelieve the Gods," Ahk said wistfully.

"Yes, but Gods are a little fickle. Not all of them are good. Perhaps it was that your father didn't believe he'd be able to face Ma'at with a good heart? There's quite a bit of false truths on that death list thing. Can't remember what it's called," you said, cursing yourself under your breath when you still couldn't recall the name.

"Negative confessions," Ahk said. You snapped your fingers, grinning as he said it – that was what it was called. "Either way, whatever my father meant by creating it, I don't know if I actually liked the fact that he created it in the first place."

"Why not?" Sac asked.

"It's... a little selfish, but I don't actually enjoy spending massive amounts of time with my parents, and their whole thing of me being the favorite was essentially what killed me. I know the tablet has done some wonderful, magic things, but is it really worth it? That's just me, though... no one else has lost anything because of that tablet. Just me," he said with the tiniest shrug he could manage.

"No, that's not selfish. You've lost a lot because of it and it's alright to dislike it, and it's actually really cool that you recognize the good things it's done alongside the bad," you said, feeling an awful lot like you were a parent telling their child how mature they are.

"Thank you. You sound like my manservant," he chuckled.

"You remember your manservant?" You asked. It had been thousands of years and most people didn't remember their manservants even as they were being served by them. That was something royal people were good at, ignoring other people, too infatuated in themselves. You should've known better with Ahk, but it still surprised you.

"Yes. His name was Naguib, a very nice person, a little quiet though. Like you," he said softly, staring into the dying fire.

You excused yourself and went to get more kindling. After thirty or so minutes you felt as though you had enough, and fought through the snow to get back to the overhang. There you set up a few pieces of wood in the fire, watching as the flame took to them, sparking higher into the air.

"I've heard a lot of stories about your brother, the.. the evil one," you said, hoping it wouldn't be too vague. He immediately understood you. "He seems like a bad person but I still don't really understand who he is or what he did or why."

"You know he..." Ahk mimicked stabbing himself. You nodded, glancing to Sac to see her listening intently. "He's the jealous type," Ahk continued. "I was always my parents favorite, I don't really know why, but that's how it was. They gave me a lot of things, made my crown before I was anointed, made the tablet all for me. Personally I think Kahmunrah was sort of born a little evil, like he was just born without the capability to feel empathy. All of that hatred he had for me really got pushed over when my parents chose me over both him and Khafra to become King, which is actually fair, I think. I wasn't supposed to be King. It was supposed to be him, and to add insult to injury they skipped over Khafra as well. Khafra didn't do anything wrong but they still passed over him. Then I had my celebration and the next morning I was dead."

"So he was jealous that his rightful throne had been taken from him and given to you, even though you're clearly the better ruler," you said, hoping to clarify his long spiel.

"Pretty much, but he thought he was the better ruler. He thought he was better than everyone," he said quietly, biting at the inside of his cheek. "But I have a question for you, changing the topic slightly."

You nodded, waiting for him to continue as he chose his next words carefully.

"You know an awful lot about Egypt. Why? You aren't Egyptian," he asked, something you thought you'd already answered.

"Well I have a masters degree in Egyptian mythology," you explained slowly, wondering if he would even know what a masters degree was. Judging by how confused he looked, he didn't, so you proceeded to explain in more detail. "I went to a special school that teaches you in depth about different subjects, such as different types of sciences or literary analysis. Like um, my brother, he got a masters degree in astrophysics, which deals with stars, what they are, how they're made, what they do, all that fun stuff. They also have history classes, like American history or European history. I spent eight years getting a degree in Egyptian mythology which, while it does sound like history, it's actually more about religion, which you can get a degree in for other religions as well."

Slowly he nodded, slowly starting to understand what you meant.

"Riiight, so you know everything about my religion," he said in attempt to clarify. You shook your head – yes, you did know that, but you knew a lot about the culture and history as well.

"Yes, I do, but I also know about your culture and historical timeline."

"It seems a little odd to get a degree about a country you don't live in," Sac said, which Ahk immediately agreed with.

"Ancient Egypt isn't still a country," you said, and Ahk's mouth dropped open.

"It's gone?!"

"You didn't know?? It's been like a thousand years!"

"That's not very long for me, (Y/N)," he said, a heartless laugh leaving him.

"Okay, okay, calm down. Egypt itself still exists and there IS a country called Egypt, but it's not really the Egypt you remember. The pyramids and all those buildings that you used are in shambles, but there's modern architecture for the people who live there now. The Egypt you lived in is considered an ancient civilization and there's a lot of civilizations like that, that died out. Places where the culture died out but the people didn't. Culture dying out is kind of considered the death of a country," you tried to explain. The two of them understood, or at least they said they did, and you didn't care to go into it further. Exhaustion was creeping up into your head, and you wanted nothing more than to just fall asleep.

"It's just a tad unsettling to think about," Ahk said quietly as you lay down on the ground, staring up at the rock ceiling.

"I would be surprised if you weren't unsettled," you murmured, already feeling your eyelids droop.

"Are you going to sleep?" Sac asked, trying to lean nearer to see over the fire.

"Yeah, I'm tired," you mumbled.

"Sleep well," Sac said.

"Good night," Ahk said before immediately realizing his mistake. "Sorry. Sleep well."

"Thanks," you mumbled out, letting unconsciousness take over until the evening.

Another long night ahead of you.


	6. Slow Her Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something worth fighting for.

Days passed where all efforts felt fruitless – the trail was growing cold, dragged down by the needs your group carried that Anubis would never halt for. He didn't turn to stone in the day. He didn't need to sleep or eat, and the snow that had fallen during the day hid his tracks as it continued into the night. Sac pulled her hat tighter over her head, and you and Ahk kept your hoods up in the harsh winter wind, which had only grown worse throughout the evenings. As days and nights came and went the weather would change erratically from hour to hour, from storm to stillness. It began to grate on Ahk's mind, your pace, and the secrecy of the forest that hid both the sky and the ground. Unfortunately it was all too easy to see in his behavior, his word growing curt and his actions sharp. Throughout the evenings, trembling in the snowfall, you watched as his hand never left the grip of his dagger, ready to pull it out of his sleeve at a moment's notice. As much as he had protected you in the past, it unsettled you. He was on edge and fully capable of murder.

Somehow Sac managed to stay mostly unperturbed by the daily events of your trio. She kept to herself, kept quiet, and did her best to stay out of your way which, to you, was odd. As time went along the three of you became more and more quiet with each other, worried of any stray hikers overhearing your conversations or of any spy Anubis had sent. Not that you had any specific reason to be wary, but you needed an excuse, some tangible reason as to why you weren't getting along well with them. In all the stories you'd read, every adventurous movie you'd watched the group always grew closer with each passing day. Instead, each day you had to remind yourself that _this is the real world, and sometimes people simply do not get along_.

Perhaps you'd been on the road too long.

Your phone had lost battery a long while ago and you'd gotten no chance to recharge it, thus leaving no way to contact anyone should you get lost. While you trusted Sac to lead you correctly, you didn't trust your dwindling food supply, and with each passing evening Ahk was more... minacious. He snapped at you. You didn't mind. Sac would ask you in private if you were alright. You would say yes.

They were beginning to truly control their bodies. In the day time they could move their arms and every now and then shift their torso – apparently their legs were still off limits. They couldn't even feel them. With practice your fires started to get better, something Sac praised you for, which always sent a smile on your face. Ahk got bitter when you smiled, which you noticed and hated.

Why couldn't he like you like he used to?

Back at the museum he was kind, if not a little childish, but overall a very sweet person. He had been awfully considerate of you, even separating himself from the crowd to spend time with you in that dingy basement. Looking back, it felt as though that part of your life was an entirely different era, even though in all honesty it was the start of one. One you were still living through, and one you were beginning to despise.

You kept to the back of the small caravan, finding comfort in keeping a constant eye on the two of them, as well as enjoying the path cut through the snow by their feet. Despite Sac's insistence that she was nearly inexhaustible, she slept quite a bit in her stone figure. It left far more alone time with Ahk than you were comfortable with, so you changed your sleep schedule to match hers – while it left Ahk alone (which you could tell was making him more and more bitter), it gave you respite from his resent, most of which you were sure was aimed at you.

That, you hated – you hated that he disliked you, you hated yourself for being an unlikeable person, and every time you caught yourself dwelling on those thoughts you brushed them aside. _You are not here to be taken care of, you are not here to be comfortable, you are not here to make friends,_ you repeated in your head, a mantra that only deteriorated the little ambition you had left. Oftentimes humans aren't motivated by what they should be, a case only too easy to see within you.

Evening came once again. You were losing track of the days and nights – time didn't move as you expected it to, and there were no markers of civilization or of any passage of time at all. All your trust rested in Sac, all of Ahk's trust rested in her as well, probably more so than you. His entire life was in her hands. If needed, you could abandon the search, and live on. Neither of them could.

Slicing the knife once more across your skin (the last cut had been picked dry), you let out a hiss at the pain, adrenaline cooling off the sharpness the blade gave. For the first time in a while Ahk gave you a semblance of comfort, holding your free hand as you bled yourself. Swiping your thumb over the cut you drew the eye onto their skin, Ahk on his forehead and Sac on the back of her left hand.

"I'm sorry you have to do this," Sac said as you drew on her with your blood.

"No, I'm fine. Nothing compared to some of your traditions and, before you say anything, I did technically fully consent to this, so," you trailed off at the end, releasing her hand when you finished.

"Doesn't make it hurt any less," she said quietly.

"We should get moving. There's animal tracks in the snow," Ahk interrupted, his eye transfixed on the foot prints. Large, with claws at the end and thick pads that dug into the snow, you recognized it as some sort of bear. Hopefully Sac would know what to do better than you did.

"Good eye, Ahk. Most bears sleep during the night, so she should be returning soon... this way," she said, glancing at the claw marks before hurriedly trampling through the layers of snow, you and Ahk in tow.

The other night you'd spent a little time gazing up at the sky, staring wondrously at the stars alight in the dark, more beautiful than any man-made display. When you looked up at the sky this night, clouds blocked the way in great storms and billows. A shiver ran through your body – Sac knew when rain or snow would come, and you and Ahk were beginning to notice the signs too. The smell, the shape of the clouds, the wind and temperature. By your account it looked like it would snow soon, but in quiet conversation Sac said she thought it'd rain. Neither you or Ahk believed her. It hadn't rained the entire trip, which was perfectly logical considering it was wintertime.

Unsurprisingly, Sac ended up being right. About halfway through the dark, moon-less night rain began to fall from the sky. Your first reaction was confusion – the droplets that fell could've come from the trees towering above you, but as the sound of rain began to fill the snow dusted forest there was no mistaking it. The fur lining your hood was absolutely _not _made for this. As the rain harshened, falling in great sheets, your hood soaked till it did nothing but weigh you down.

Slowing his pace only slightly, Ahk made to stand beside you. He unwrapped the scarf around his neck with much care, hooking it around you in such a way that it covered you from your neck to your nose, warming up the soft skin turned red from the cold.

"Thank you," you mumbled, muffled through the material. He brushed it off with a shrug and got back into line.

The three of you continued for a little while longer, all ignoring the bite of the cold and the discomfort of being well and fully soaked – there wasn't a minute to spare, not when your sleep schedules were so well defined without space for change. Of all of you Sac knew this best, ever the one to take care of the plan and stick to it, but when the rain silenced she still stopped, staring ahead past the brambles and trees.

"(Y/N), Ahk, look," she whispered, mystified by something you couldn't yet see. Trampling over the slush and snow, you came to stand beside her, trying to see out at what she was looking at. On the other side of Sac, he did the same.

"The stars are on the ground," Ahk murmured in the same tone as her, and within the next couple of seconds you finally saw it.

It had to be some sort of reflection. That was the only logical explanation, but you found yourself at a loss for words even with your science. Stuck in the middle of a small clearing, what looked like a hole in the ground reflected the stars above, which you hadn't yet noticed were clear and bright in the sky. Swarms of blue nebula and warm light, purples and greens that faded into plum and peach painted themselves across the hole in the ground, splattered with stars clearer than your vision.

Your breath caught in your throat, stuck in place as Sac stepped forward towards the reflection. Looking above you, you confirmed it had to be a reflection, but it didn't make it any less magical or breathtaking – they were still stars, they were still life incarnate, the only thing to give existence and take none. Hanging alone in the nothingness of space, orbited by the unknown; that had to be magic. _This_ had to be magic, there was no other excuse, no other excuse as to why Ahk would take your hand, intertwining your fingers as he stared ahead, pulling you along through the bushes.

"It... it looks like a lake," Sac said, sounding more energized than she had in the past week or so.

"Isn't it a little shallow to be a lake?" Ahk asked in note of the inch-high water.

"No, I've heard of this before," you said, untangling your fingers from him and kneeling beside the water. "A lake gets frozen over in the winter, and then it rains, which collects over the ice. I've heard it's awfully rare, too."

"It's _beautiful_," Ahk whispered in awe, using the tip of his foot to test out the strength of the ice. More and more pressure he used, bending down over the ice, but it did not break. "I think we can walk on it," he said.

"Well..." you said hesitantly, watching with clenched fists as he took a few steps out onto the ice, the water gathered there rippling around his boots. "What if it breaks?"

"It won't, trust me," Ahk said with the first smile you'd seen on him in a long while. As relieving as it was to see that, it didn't soothe your anxiety, at least not until Sac took her first few steps on the ice and it still didn't break.

"Alright," you said, biting at your lip. He helped you to your feet, leading you slowly over the ice till the both of you stood together, your hands wrapped tight around his as your heart beat out of its' chest. Looking to him and then Sac, you decided that maybe you needed this; a reason to keep going besides pure survival.

"This is... it's nice to see something a little alarming, you know?" Ahk said with a small chuckle. You agreed with a flustered nod, slipping a little and holding him so tight you worried you were hurting him. "How have you managed to keep yourself sane?"

"What do you mean?" You asked, confused as you cocked your head to the side.

"You're still.. you. You're still kind, and you aren't irritable, unlike me... and you haven't gone silent either, like Sac," he said quietly, his eye flickering over to Sac, who was fully preoccupied with playing in the rippling water.

"I'm not sure I know what you mean, but..."

No, wait – you knew exactly what he meant. You shut up about your bad thoughts, you pretended everything was alright even though you felt like death inside, and apparently your charade had worked beautifully. It looked as though nothing had changed even though your worldview changed every time you woke up with the sun setting before you. The rampant thoughts you'd tried so hard to hide had actually hidden away, which you hadn't actually expected.

That, and things were starting to bubble in your chest. Unwanted things. Things you shouldn't be feeling, every time Ahk would spare a smile, each time his fleeting touch would shock your skin, your heart fluttered and you'd think about it for the next hour. You supposed that sort of emotion could keep you sane as well. Something to think on besides your own mortality and the possible failure of your mission.

Even if you thought Ahk would ever share those types of feelings, now certainly wasn't the time, and there were more complexities in getting in a relationship with an actual dead person than there were with living people. There was a guy at your coffee shop that you'd said hello to a couple times – he seemed nice. Maybe you should've started thinking about him over your long walks, but no, you chose Mr. Golden Pharaoh, who spoke so sweetly and caressed you in such a manner you swore you could feel yourself melting into his hold, and you could swear he'd catch you.

"Still, I admire you for that," Ahk said, dragging you out of your silence.

You almost said, _I am not worthy of that type of admiration_, but you didn't, instead smiling politely as he helped you stay on your feet on the slick ice. As the two of you wandered further out onto the frozen lake, staring up at the sky and staring down at your feet, you kept your grip tight on him. The ground below you moved in a swirl of stars, still reflecting the heavens in perfect unison with all the world.

Slipping in the low water, Sac ran straight into you – reaching out to steady yourself, you and Ahk just barely caught her before all three of you would've been sent down. Laughing, she apologized profusely, which meant very little since all three of you were already laughing. Bringing her back up to her feet, you kept her hand in your left and Ahk's hand in your right; just like that, the three of you found the shore once more, sitting down in the wet snow and staring at the sight before you.

"Here, one moment," Sac muttered. You turned to her, watching as she stood and left your little line to go and find something. Ahk stayed by your side, his eye never leaving the sky.

She returned not a moment later, pushing you aside so she could sit in between you, kneeling with a stick in hand. With both your curiosities caught, she began to draw in the snow.

"Not to damper the mood," she said, continuing to draw out what looked like a map, "but we should calculate the distance we travel compared to that of the thief."

"I think humans can travel 20 miles a day on average, but it's got to be less with packs," you said, distantly remembering something you read on the internet.

"How big is a mile?" Sac asked.

"Um... do you know how big a kilometer is?"

"I do," Ahk said as she shook her head 'no.'

"A kilometer is like half or.. or a sixth, maybe, of a mile. Miles are pretty big," you said uncertainly, gesturing vaguely with your hands.

It took a bit of work and visual representations, but eventually Sac got the basic idea of what a mile was. Though, your knowledge on how many miles a human could travel in a day helped enormously, something you fully appreciated.

"So let's say we travel 15 miles a day," Sac said, looking back down at her map with a critical eye. "How fast would Anubis be?"

"That depends," Ahk said almost immediately. "He has two forms, human and jackal. Jackals are quite a lot faster than humans and we can't forget that most likely, he isn't stopping during the day or night."

"We've been on the road for weeks. He must be far ahead of us," you murmured, feeling the energy leave your body. Would you be able to reach him before he got to the ley line? Was he already there?

"Then there is no time to waste. How long would you say it'll take until we can walk during the day?" Sac asked you directly, a question you had very little answer to. You based your flimsy answer on how long it'd taken them to gain control of the upper parts of their body.

"Maybe a couple more days or so? You'll still have to stop for me though, I need to sleep," you said, feeling more and more like nothing but a burden.

"We might be able to carry you," Ahk suggested, and while Sac seemed to be seriously considering that option, you belted out laughing.

"Seriously? You won't be able to carry me for long enough, and you've already got bags to carry," you said, still chuckling incredulously.

"We're stone during the day. I think that might actually make us stronger," Sac said. Hmm – that rationalized it a bit more, but it didn't erase entirely the feeling of shame.

"And, if you're worried, we could take turns carrying you. It's better than stopping for over seven hours, and if it doesn't work out for us we can think of something else," Ahk said in a soft voice, a hint of a smile gracing him as he patted your shoulder. Slowly you nodded, rolling your shoulders back as you realized this was simply something you would have to come to terms with, shame and guilt aside.

"Alright. But if there's any problem, any at all, say something," you insisted, to which they both agreed happily.

"We'll get to Anubis. We'll be logical and succinct about it, we will not allow distractions, we will put our own needs aside as long as we stay at the top of our game," Sac said, a mantra you'd repeated to yourself made clear and kinder. You had made, _forced_ yourself to feel nothing, to never change, but to know that you could stay true as well as motivated was a great comfort. With all three of you in the same boat, you had a feeling the journey ahead would be a lot better than the past week you'd had travelling with them.

Rustling from behind caught Sac's attention, her eyes darting to the bushes that moved in the still air. Following her as she stood, you began to jog as she began to run, jumping behind tall bushes as another voice shouted out a whiny, cracked, 'help!'. Coming up beside you, Ahk circled the bushes with you to find Sac sitting atop a hiker, restraining his hands from reaching the phone that'd fallen beside him.

"What were you doing?!" She asked hurriedly, louder than you'd ever heard her speak. Usually she was quite tempered, so to see her burst out like that, to yell and use her strength was... more than amusing.

A _shiiing_ sounded from beside you, Ahk drawing his blade from his sleeve. The hiker paled, beginning to writhe harder in Sac's hold that never wavered. You quickly halted him, grabbing his arm and pulling him to the side, ensuring you were out of ear shot.

"You did this before and we had a hell of a time hiding the body. You can't get arrested for murder but _I can_," you hissed quietly, forcing him to lower the knife.

"What's arrest?"

"Oh for - just, think it through, let's talk to the guy before we murder him, yeah?" You asked of him, and after a moment of thought he acquiesced, returning to the hiker with his knife sheathed.

In calm temper Ahk knelt down beside the man, his eyes closed as he took a deep breath.

"WHAT DID YOU HEAR?!" He yelled, grabbing the mans face and forcing him to look directly at him. Terrified, he tried to squirm out of Sac's grip once more, to no avail.

"You guys are fucking insane!" The guy said.

_Not the brightest, then,_ you thought to yourself dully. A smarter man would've said he heard nothing. Personally, if you were in his situation, you would've said you had anxiety (which technically wasn't entirely a lie) and that the mere sight of people made you rush away. But this was not you in the position, thankfully.

"I think this guys insane, we better off him for our own safety," Ahk said, somehow able to joke about murder. Again.

"Ahk, I get that this guy might send the police after us but it's also a living person. First degree murder isn't nice," you reminded him. He did not accept your reminder.

"I don't know what the police is. I'm stabbing him."

_Squelch._

He didn't scream. He didn't make a noise at all, besides the choking of blood gurgling in his mouth, and his last breath leaving him. You shut your eyes tight, looking away.

"A town must be nearby. His shoes are not worn," Sac said as she stood, the man's arms going limp as she threw them to the ground.

"Then we need to leave, now," you insisted, pushing them away from the body.

"Do you think we should hide it?" Ahk asked as you directed them forcefully away.

"It'll snow at some point I'm sure," Sac said with a shrug, and with that, you were off once more.

You hurried the pace more than usual – being framed for murder was a massive fear of yours, one you never thought would happen because you were present at a murder. He probably had a family, or at least friends, and certainly coworkers judging by the mint of his clothes. Maybe he was like you. Maybe that _could've_ been you.

Wrapping his arm around your shoulders, Ahk pull you in tight, comforting you with a chaste kiss to the top of your head. Heart beating out of your chest from both fear and your closeness to him, you breathed deep and continued onwards.

Within the next couple of days they began to take control of their legs and feet, moving them around as they sat round the fires you started, fidgeting and tapping their feet. In another couple of days they stood, and on the next day they walked. While an unremarkable feat by itself, walking showed itself to be quite worthy of celebration when you jumped up with a massive grin, practically yelling your excitement. Ahk seemed equally excited, dancing around with his legs in the daytime.

It was more than that for her, though. She had never seen the sun. Not as herself – she'd never known the feel of the sun on her skin, the light surrounding the earth, and when she stood in the rays of the sun you watched as she smiled, her head rolling back in pure delight.

They retained energy, and though they enjoyed it found no need to sleep. Working as some sort of super human, they held a massive amount of strength during the day, all of which faded in the night when they regained their realistic, flesh-covered forms which, though you wouldn't say it to them, you preferred.

Ahk's hand was much softer to hold when he was human.


	7. The Stranger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where to next?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> got some dramatic flair

Unwrapping the last of your granola bars, you stuffed the wrapper back into your bag, stimming nervously at the fireside as you wondered when and how you would eat next. Your main fear was having to break your diet, though you'd grown much more accustomed to blood and meat after witnessing two murders. Ahk lay by your side, his hands entwined behind his head as his closed eyes stared up into the sunny day, breath gentle and long. Sac was nowhere to be seen – a couple hours ago she'd lost the trail she was following, and as much as she tried to find it again it was achingly clear it would take a good while.

In the meantime, you would have to be content with sitting by the fire, slowing chewing your old granola bar. And occasionally staring at Ahk. Even though you'd never let yourself succumb to whatever emotions you felt, he was undeniably easy on the eyes, and your attraction needn't go further than that.

At the half point in your bar, you reluctantly wrapped it back up and put it away. Just in case it'd take too long to get more food. Hopefully it wouldn't become another hindrance – you were already lost from civilization, and with Sac fully preoccupied with finding the trail again, you had basically zero chance of finding food in the wild. No, you had to be stuck with Ahk. He was a wonderful person of course, and very fun to have around, but he wasn't exactly the brightest, at least not when it came to survival tactics. Sure, he knew his star charts and yes, he knew how to rule a peoples, but he didn't actually recognize snow when he first saw it. The thought of that by itself always had you forcing back giggles – you hadn't seen it yourself, but God if it wasn't a beautiful movie in your head.

"You do this a lot, don't you?" Ahk said, the words surprising you. It'd been silent for a while, and you thought he was asleep. Looking down, his eyes open and on you, he certainly wasn't.

"Do what?"

"Look like you're about to die," he said with a teasing grin.

"I do _not_."

"You do! You get all grim and it looks like you're preparing to sacrifice yourself," he said, shifting till he faced the sky once more, closing his eyes. "Not that it's a bad thing."

"How is that not a bad thing?" You asked with a humorless laugh.

"It's very 'you.'"

Great, wonderful, that was exactly what you wanted to be. Thank you, Ahk, for alerting you of yet another personality trait to be wary of. Still, a small laugh left you, which was all he was looking for.

Overhead the sun began to set down into the sky, though it was still plenty light outside. Sac returned from her explorations a little while after that, kicking snow into the fire to douse it, and pulling the two of you to your feet afterwards. Brushing out your clothes, you pulled your satchel back on as Ahk did the same.

"Did you find his trail?" Ahk asked, situating his scarf back around his neck.

"No, but I found smoke, isolated smoke. We might have some help on finding where we are," Sac explained, already heading on the way. You hurriedly helped Ahk with his backpack and followed after her, the heat of the sun burning your cheeks as your feet froze in the snow.

Moving low amongst the crowded pine trees, you kept in the single line format, watching Sac follow her own footsteps back through the forest. The many overhanging branches came to be quite the hindrance, even as you all pushed them away in a neat format. You continued to follow her, past nests and frozen ponds, till in the distant sky smoke became apparent. In the approaching evening, the smoke didn't contrast the sky quite as well, but the burning scent certainly aided your search. Her pace quickened, and in a few short minutes you stood before a small, log cabin in a clearing.

One door rested a few steps above the ground, clearly handmade but still looking well made, something apparent about the rest of the cabin as well. The single window was all that stood out – the only thing that had to be made through machines and professionals considering how clear it was. Inside, the light of a candle flickered, casting moving shadows against the walls. Standing tall from the roof, the mud chimney sent smoke up into the sky. Below all the wood, a stone and mud foundation kept the cabin stuck on the ground, half covered up by the snow that had fallen from the roof.

Sac took a few steps forward, cautious and ever wary of any dangers. Ahk followed her, but you stayed still, watching as she gently rapped on the door. The sound of muted footsteps came from inside, and as the door slowly creaked open you leaned forward. You hurried to stand behind the two of them, still fearful of what kind of person would live alone in the woods in a homemade cabin, seemingly entirely apart from common civilization.

When at last the door opened fully, a person showed themselves, dressed from head to toe in Native American clothes, from homemade moccasins to an intricately beaded headband. Wrinkled lines lay across their face, thick with age and curiosity as they furrowed their brow at your odd group. Freckles and marks dotted across their skin, showing the suns' kiss in every area, tanned from the time spent working. A single, well-healed scar ran from the bottom of their ear to their jaw.

"Aren't you an odd group," they said after a few minutes of silence, all of you staring at each other in the space. Their accent was thick, pairing well with a soft, low voice.

"We're looking for -"

"Why don't you come inside?" They asked, moving away from the door to make space. You looked to Sac and Ahk, who were looking at each other suspiciously – no one ever invites someone into their house at the drop of a dime, but Sac nodded. She must've seen something worth trusting.

Gingerly, the three of you entered in a neat row, standing awkwardly in the one room cabin. All at once the smell of smoke and sage filled your head, calming the edge of your nerves. The fireplace sat opposite the door, and to the left of that was a small kitchen, consisting mainly of cupboards and a bucket full of water. To the right, a bed bereft of blankets sided next to an oak desk. In the corner were baskets, filled with blankets and cloth, and the occasional knife or pipe sticking out.

"Tell me – where are you all from?" They asked, brushing by their desk before taking a seat on the bed. Gesturing to the chairs, the three of you made to sit beside the fire, fidgeting uncomfortably as they stared at you. The warmth was certainly welcome, and the furs sprawled across the chairs softened the hard wood.

"I'm from the..." Sac glanced to the two of you before looking back at them, "Shoshone tribe."

Biting at your cheek, you prayed to any God listening that this person would understand, or in the very least not ask too many questions.

"I'm from Egypt," Ahk answered. His nails were digging into his palm.

"Israel," you said quietly. You were born there, but you hadn't actually been raised there past the age of four. Still, your first memories were of wading in the ocean and crying from getting bitten by the tiny fish, so that counted as your birthplace for you.

"Why are you here?" They asked, another difficult question you'd have to do your best to avoid. You bit at your cheek again.

"Actually, we're a little lost. We were wondering if you could direct us to the nearest town," Sac said, ever the peace in your anxiety.

"I could," they said, standing and walking to the fire, kneeling before it with a prodding stick. Embers flew from the fire, landing on the mud floor and dying out before it could reach the carpet. "I don't think that's what you're looking for though, is it?"

Ahk paled and tightened his fist, nails digging harsher into his palm. Reaching over, you rested your hand over his, loosening his grip on himself. He breathed deep.

"How do you know?" Sac asked in a quieter voice, soft and curious.

"The spirits, they talk to me," they said, nodding sagely. "They told me of you."

"You're Inuit," you said in sudden realization, your mouth falling to part slightly.

"Algonquin, actually," they said.

"Sorry. I'm not well versed in American history," you apologized quickly, fidgeting anxiously with your hands.

"It's alright. Not many are."

Now this, _this_ could help you – the remaining people who still practiced the various religions of Native Americans usually had a much deeper understanding of both the world and afterlife than the general populace did. You certainly knew very little, and Ahk's innate knowledge of Egypt wouldn't help in North America. Maybe this person would know, maybe they could help you – you certainly needed it, what with Sac losing the trail and none of you having any clue as to where you were.

"Do you believe in magic?" Sac asked as they circled the chairs you sat in, making their way to put the prodding stick back in its' corner.

"I've seen it myself," they answered rather ominously. You shifted in your seat again.

Ahk leaned over you to speak to Sac, whispering, "can we tell the truth?"

Neither of them having an answer, they looked to you. Squeezing your hands anxiously, you nodded slowly, standing to explain the situation.

"We're looking for a... well, it's a bit... difficult to explain," you started off, internally cursing yourself for starting off so horribly. "An Egyptian God stole what belonged to him," you gestured to Ahk, "and we need to get it back before the God gets back into the underworld."

They nodded thoughtfully, picking their words carefully as they sat back down on the bed. Leaning forward, they balanced their elbows on their knees, furrowing their brow as they concentrated.

"You're looking for a way to get into an afterlife?"

Oh boy. You did not like how he said that, implying the existence of multiple afterlives. That complicated things to an unbearable extent.

"Yes. We were thinking that ley lines might've lead to the afterlife, but the trail we were following disappeared," Sac explained.

"In that case," they said, standing once more and moving to the kitchen, opening up a cupboard filled with dusty books. A veritable gold mine of ancient information, you could feel your eyes dilate as you caught sight of the old books, the elation quickly dissipating once the cupboard closed. Setting the book atop the desk, they motioned the three of you over. Looking over their shoulder, you payed close attention to the many pages they flipped through before arriving to the correct chapters.

The images painted and drawn across its' pages were the only parts you could understand, the visuals clear and pleasing beside the unintelligible scribbles of letters and writings. It looked enough like English that you thought you should be able to read it, but it was just messy enough, and just foreign enough that you couldn't read a single word.

"Some people believe that certain ceremonies and tributes in a doorway would open the world," they said, reading off the book. "Some believe that it is accessible through dreams."

"Are there different afterlives?" Sac asked, something you were dreading to be true.

"Yes. The world exists in a stasis of equality... every religion has a basis, every idea holds a sliver of truth. Which afterlife are you looking for anyway?"

"The Egyptian one. I don't think Anubis has access to other underworlds," Ahk said, leaning closer to the book.

"That's unfortunate. I don't have much information regarding Eastern religions... in America, many of the gates lead to spirit worlds," they said, trailing their fingers across the dry ink. "Some gates are unreachable. Keep that in mind. The Mesopotamians believed that the gates to the afterlife were at the ends of the galaxy."

"Let's hope that's not the case for us," Ahk whispered to you, earning an avid nod.

"What about ley lines? I was taught that they were where the veil was thin, but again, it doesn't seem like Anubis went that way," you said.

"Spirits use the ley lines for travel. All that connects them is monuments to religion and historical places. Other than fast travel, they can't be used for much," they explained, and as they spoke you could feel your heart sink into your stomach. "I have many books here, with many instructions of rituals and blessings, but I do not believe I have the information you seek."

Stepping back, the three of you stood in a huddle, each of you on different levels of nervousness.

"What should we do? We can't continue on as we have," Sac said, wearing that rarely-used anxious face she had.

"We need to find out where a path to Duat is," Ahk said.

"In that case, we need to first find the information on how to find the doorway," you said, something that sunk all your spirits. Mutely they agreed, the thought of continued search weighing heavy on all your minds as you parted, separately wondering how to access centuries old information.

"Stay the night, you must be weary," the stranger offered, picking up one of the wicker baskets full of furs and blankets.

"We sleep during the day," you said quickly, wary of their reaction to Ahk and Sac turning to stone.

"Then study for the night and sleep for the day. You look tired," they said, and you couldn't deny that. All three of you were exhausted.

"Thank you. Perhaps we can find something that will help in your library, if you don't mind us searching," Sac asked with a small bow. They nodded, and with that Sac was already at the cupboards, pulling down another book to sit by the fireplace and read.

You made to grab a book of your own, but as you did so you heard the door open and close, and with a quick look around the room you found Ahk missing. Excusing yourself quietly, you followed him outside. The footprints leaving the doorway lead around back of the cabin, where Ahk sat in the snow, knees pulled to his chest. Delicately you sat beside him, scooting closer when he showed no aversion to your presence.

"What's up?" You asked quietly, your eye never leaving him.

"We're not going to get there in time," he whispered, his voice cracking.

"You don't know that," you said, hoping your words would help. "And if we don't, we'll find a way to get it back from there. I'm not quitting and neither is Sac."

"No offense, but entering Duat will probably kill you," he mumbled, crossing his arms over his knees and burying his face in them.

"Then we summon Anubis. We find a spell. We trick some Gods – we'll get your tablet back," you promised, keeping your hand on his shoulder, rubbing circles with your thumb. He sighed, shutting his eyes tight.

"What if we don't?"

"I'll stay by your side, we both will. We won't abandon you," you murmured, watching as he slowly untensed and looked to you, tears lining his long eyelashes.

"Swear to it," he said in sudden seriousness, holding out his hand for you to shake. Looking to him and then to his hand, you nodded, shaking his hand firm.

"I won't abandon you."


	8. Decisions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finding your way again.

You helped him out of the snow, brushing off the dirt and flakes before leading him back inside, sitting him in front of the fire upon the pile of blankets set there. Pulling down two books from the shelf, you carried them back over and handed one to him. The other you opened with gentle fingers, careful to not injure the paper. Sac slipped down from her chair to join you on the floor, closer to the flame, and as time passed the three of you began to shed your layers of clothing. Sac removed her gloves before she even got her book, and Ahk took off his boots – you removed your heavy jacket, breathing easy for the first time in a long while.

Before the sun rose but after the birds started to sing, the stranger, who still adamantly would not tell you their name, excused themselves to go on a search for food. Waving them off, you thanked them once more for the hospice.

The books you pulled down were, as the stranger had said, not very informative for the subject you needed it to be. On every page you learned something new, something enticing about ancient cultures and religions. Yet, amongst all the wise words and rare tales not one spoke of Egypt, nor mentioned their Gods. There were a few articles dealing with the Sandawe, an older tribe originating in Africa, but even then it didn't mention Egypt. It didn't even use Kemet, which was the generally consensus for what ancient Egyptians called their home.

By the third book you were skimming over the chapters, and by the fifth you looked more at the table of contents than the actual content of the book. With a heavy sigh, you slammed your next book shut, letting it fall to the floor in front of the dying fire. Ahk looked over Sac's head, quirking a single eyebrow up.

"Everything alright?" He asked, quietly shutting his own book, using his finger as a bookmark.

"Why does this person have information on Sandawe but not on Egypt? I'd argue that Egypt was a hell of a lot more successful of a civilization compared to Sandawe," you grumbled, rubbing your tired eyes, dry from the heat of the fire.

"I knew someone from that tribe. But the 'success' of a civilization is mostly up to the interpreter," he said thoughtlessly, reopening his book. Curious, you asked for him to explain. "You can look at accomplishments in the sciences and arts, but I think success should be more measured in kindness towards other people. Egypt wasn't exactly kind to its peoples nor foreigners. Smaller tribes were usually a whole lot more generous."

"That's... not entirely wrong, I suppose," you said slowly, leaning back on your palms, "but we still need to find information on Egypt."

"Indeed. That's why I'm still reading," he said, winking cheekily before he turned back to his book. You tsked, shook your head, but you still chuckled. Reopening your book, you resumed the search.

As the first rays of the morning sun shone through the single window, stone crawled up their bodies, but they'd grown used to the feeling, whether that was good or bad. It certainly helped them to stay calm, that and the fact that they weren't petrified. Even though you'd seen them as statues quite a bit, it was still strange to watch moving stone, breathing and blinking as though they still needed to. 

Snow crunched beneath boots outside, and with a glance over your shoulder you watched the door open, drifts of wind and snowflakes entering across the floor. The stranger shut the door behind them, brushing the loose snow and twigs off their jacket before pulling their hood off. They smiled to you, pausing as their gaze landed on Ahk and Sac, who still faced the fire and had their backs turned. Scrambling to your feet, you dragged them aside to explain in hushed words.

"They're close to death," you said, a fair enough explanation without having to go too far into it. "I have a spell that uses my blood, so they're alive during the night but in the daytime they turn to stone. They're still alive and all that, though."

Ahk turned to the two of you, waving happily. You waved back with a nervous grin.

"You three are strange," they said, as if they themselves were not strange as well.

You returned to your seat beside Sac.

"Looking at these maps..." Sac pushed her book onto your lap gently, pointing at a map of Europe and Africa, "I don't think we'll find Egyptian culture across an ocean."

"Are you saying we'll have to go to Europe?" You asked, your brows knitted together in concentration. You'd need a whole lot more money to do that.

"Could we go to Egypt?" Ahk asked as he leant forward, a bright smile across his face. You knew he was joking, but there was a disappointment in his eye, which you thought was deserved. Every now and then you missed Israel, even though you visited your parents often.

Chuckling softly, you said, "maybe. First we find the entrance."

"Of course."

"To be fair, Europe does have a lot more religious texts and such," you said, your attention redirected to Sac.

"Do you think they'd have more information that we would find here, in America?"

You pondered for a moment, before in a flash it came to you – _the Vatican's Secret Archives_. A place flooded with information gathered over centuries of collection, there wasn't another place that would match up to that. Similar to the library of Alexandria, or at least that's what your professor had said, and you were nothing if not willing to break a few laws to find forbidden information. 

"(Y/N)? Are you good?" Ahk asked, waving a hand in front of your face. Shaking yourself out of a trance, you nodded, standing up as the adrenaline reached your legs.

"I think I know where we'll find answers," you said with a massive grin, growing smug as they looked up at you expectantly, waiting for you to explain. You looked to them and said, "there's a library in Italy, one that I believe houses every book written and published. If we find anything, we'll find it there."

Grabbing the book from Sacagawea's lap, you flipped through the maps till you found one of the entire world, spread out across two open pages.

"Here's Italy, that little boot-shaped peninsula, and we're here," you said, pressing your finger into the estimate of your location. Somewhere in east Canada, near the ocean but not beside it.

"Um, (Y/N)... how big is this map?" Ahk asked slowly, concern lacing his tone.

"Let's just say that.. uh... we aren't visible on this map. Neither are any cities."

"So the entirety of New York City, you can't see it on this map?" Ahk asked as his eyes widened in surprise.

"You'd be able to see it, but it'd just be a speck," you said, nodding.

"That's... discomforting," he said, glancing back and forth as the idea settled in his mind.

You gave him his time – you were just as confused when you discovered a world existed past your hometown. Sac, much like him, remained in mild confusion, but unlike him stayed quiet in her thoughts. As they thought on the longevity and awe-striking size of the world, you thought a trip to Italy through logically. You might have to ask McPhee for more money, and considering how reluctant he was last time, it'd be difficult. There still rested doubt in your mind, wondering if this was even the right option. If you didn't find anything, it'd be your fault. You'd be the one to blame. The _only_ one. The secret archives were a gold mine of religious texts, the absolute originals that existed nowhere else. If you needed to find a secret, that was your best bet, which was terrifying considering you had a very slim chance of actually finding your answers.

Caught up in your train of thought, you didn't notice the stranger walking around the house before they set three plates out in front of you, fried eggs and an assortment of berries warmed by the fire before it. You thanked them alongside your friends, and the three of you gorged yourselves on the first meal you'd had in nearly a month. Though Sac and Ahk didn't need to eat, Ahk still felt hunger (or at least that's what he said he felt), and Sac could enjoy the taste of food. You, however, needed food, enjoyed it, and satiated a hunger that would've eventually killed you.

When you all finished you thanked the stranger once again, who in return, asked for your plans. Maybe you should've distrusted them, you didn't know them that well after all – but they'd shown a pure kindness that had you finding virtue in them.

"We haven't yet decided, but I'm thinking we might have to go to Italy to find the right texts," you explained, turning on your floorseat to face him. Beside you, the two of them continued reading through the books, even as you all felt totally defeated.

"You'll need a guide to get back to town," they said, sipping at a warm cup, steam drifting and clouding their eyes.

"Sac can find her way pretty well," you said, before being abruptly interrupted by none other than her.

"I can find my way if I know the terrain, and I can follow tracks. However I cannot find something when I don't know where it is, or even the direction to start in," she explained.

"I wouldn't worry," the stranger said. "The nearest town isn't too far off, and I can take you there if you'd like."

"Really?" You said excitedly, perking up. "That'd be wonderful."

The stranger nodded and left, the door shutting quietly behind them. Shaking Ahk out of his concentration, you explained what your next plans were – follow the stranger into town, find the nearest airport, and travel to Italy.

"What's an airport?" Ahk asked, rubbing his eyes, red from the fire.

You halted before answering. If you told him they both might freak out, since it's literally flying in a giant metal tube which, by itself, was a terrifying thought. It didn't matter if you'd flown in airplanes before, fear can be so illogical. They would need to know eventually, but maybe you could delay their anxiety, if only for their own benefit. At least that's what you told yourself as you lied.

"It'll take us to Italy in a matter of hours instead of months," you said, more of an omission than a lie – they accepted your answer.

Wrapping yourself back up your coat, you slung your bag back over your shoulder, adjusting the various cloths as Ahk wrapped his long scarf back around his neck. Sac pulled her trapper hat back over her head, tightening it best she could. Grabbing the rest of your bags (and your knives) the three of you stepped outside, leaving the dusty books and dying embers behind to join the stranger.

They had no vehicles, no semblance of electricity or any sign of industrial items, forcing the four of you to trample through the fresh snow that had fallen the night before. Watching the sun above you melt the snow-laden branches, you remembered in a haze of fatigue that you didn't actually sleep the last time it was day. You had taken a nap, that you remembered but it wasn't enough. Shaking your head clear of thoughts, you resolved that you could sleep plenty on the plane, and with that you continued onward without complaint. Not that you didn't _want_ to complain; you wanted to complain about a couple hundred things, but none of that mattered with you trailing behind your friends.

The stranger took you past ponds and brambles, onto game paths and around clusters of trees so thick you couldn't see past them. Alone you never would've found this easy path through the woods that they led, and in that moment gratitude overwhelmed you. Without the stranger you'd still be starving, gnawing away at the half a granola bar you had left, you'd be lost, utterly alone, wits leaving you as survival became priority. Without wits you'd never think of Anubis not following the ley line.

Continuing onwards, you recognized the signs of civilization creeping up the forest – abandoned huts and old cabins, gravel roads covered in a thin layer of snow not yet swept away. Walking alongside the road, you watched as it turned to pavement, leading directly into a small town. There were either two or three restaurants on the main road, most of them closed except a coffee shop that sat on a 'busy' corner.

"I will leave you here. I wish you best luck on your journey," the stranger said with a small bow once you reached the cafe.

"Thank you for all your help," Sacagawea said. The stranger smiled, turned, and left.

Turning back to the cafe, you opened up the double doors, the bell above ringing high. The single barista working looked up from his book, paling when he caught sight of Ahkmenrah and Sac. You didn't bother with worrying about it – you wouldn't take too long and he could stay as appalled as he wanted.

"Hey, hi," you said in a pant, coming up to the counter and pulling your phone out of your pocket. "Do you have a charger?"

"Um, yeah... yes, you need that to be charged?" He asked, his eyes darting to each of you with a great amount of confusion.

"Yes, thank you," you said, handing him your phone. Nodding slowly, he took it from you, plugging it into the one charger stuck low on the back wall. "I'm sorry, I don't have any cash – do you take Apple pay?"

"We do," he answered.

"My phone's dead, so we'll have to wait a bit, but I can pay for something I promise," you said, silently praying he'd believe you. You fully intended on keeping that promise.

"No worries, I can wait," he said with that perfect customer service smile. Seeing people like that always made your heart drop a little – you'd worked as a waiter for a little while in your teen years and it was the worst job you'd ever had.

Returning to your friends, you directed them to a table surrounded by three chairs. Resting your weary feet, you let out a sigh as you sat, enjoying the rare moment of relaxation. Ever the determined one, Ahk continued to fidget in his worry of timing. You weren't too concerned with him and his anxiety surrounding it – he knew you wouldn't give up, though that didn't seem to stop him from worrying about your group not moving fast enough.

"Do you happen to know how to braid hair?" Sac asked, setting her hat on the empty table.

"In fact I do," you said with a smile, leaning back in your chair.

"My hair is getting ratted, I think I'll wash off in the bathroom but it's harder to braid it if it's just me," she said, reaching for her braids and untying them.

"Oh, yeah, no problem. I can help you with that when you finish," you said. She thanked you and left, disappearing behind the door labelled 'Bathroom.'

You glanced around the shop. While not overly decorated or designed well, it had a nice homey feel, from the lantern lights and the large coffee roaster beside the counter to the cushy, red chairs and the dark wood tables. Tapping at the table, Ahk continued on in his angsty manner, which you tried very hard not to find humorous. Instead you tried to empathize, scooting towards him and leaning in closer.

"What's on your mind?" You asked, setting your hands flat beneath your thighs.

"Hm? Oh, just - just the timing and everything. Again," he laughed sheepishly, rubbing his face in an anxious habit.

"We'll make it," you said, unsure if that was the right thing to say. It had worked last time, but one can't just repeat the same advice over and over again and expect it to work every time, especially since your advice was mostly meant as a comfort. Fortunately, it worked – at least a little bit – and he smiled at you, resting his head on your shoulder. You shifted your position, letting him find comfort in your touch.

A few minutes later Sac exited the restroom, her hair in great big curls that hung just below her shoulders. Sitting beside you, she situated her clothes and pushed her hair back, awaiting your treatment. You left Ahk's side, standing behind her chair and combing your fingers through her hair.

"Have you ever had your hair out of braids?" You asked as your fingers got caught on a nasty knot.

"As a person? Yes. Since I've been in the museum, no," she said, as though the time she was alive counted. You didn't say anything about that though, simply continuing to untangle her hair before you began braiding it.

It took a little while, but her curls finally untangled, bouncing back upwards whenever you ran your fingers through them. Naturally you assumed her hair wasn't curly – it wasn't a genetically common thing, and technically the hair she had was not only not hers, but also currently made of some sort of very flexible stone. Besides that, hair had a habit of getting curly whenever it's been in braids for long. You noticed that with a childhood friend of yours. Pulling at her hair, you managed to bring it back into two neat braids, slicking loose hairs down before tying it all up.

She thanked you before being interrupted by the barista, calling for your attention with your phone in hand.

"Here, it's fully charged," he said, and handed it back to you.

"Thank you," you said, looking up at the menu to try and see what might taste good. "I'll have..." granola bars on the counter caught your eye, "a water bottle and ten of these."

He gave you an odd look, but he grabbed the water bottle from behind the glass as you picked out ten granola bars. Sustaining yourself entirely off granola bars felt like a bad idea, and not incredibly nutritious, but it was a far better choice than other foods that spoiled too easily. You paid and thanked him, returning to your seat and stuffing the bars into your satchel.

Opening up your phone, you checked your savings, going online to see what the ticket prices were. Apparently you were in Quebec, a place you hadn't been to before.

_$883 a ticket_. Since your last experience asking McPhee for money, you'd gotten a lot less willing to ask – he seemed so irritated with you, which, to be fair, was a normal reaction to being asked for money. You'd have to dig deep into your savings for this to avoid asking for more money. You loathed both choices, but if you could avoid talking to McPhee and facing what you asked for, you'd take that.

With much regret in your heart you reserved three tickets, shutting your eyes tight when it brought up the total. _Just ignore it,_ you thought to yourself, but the nagging voice at the back of your head said 'you're not going to be able to pay rent for the next year.'

You had sixty-eight unread text messages and about three hundred notifications from social media. Immediately you chose to read through the text messages, the most recent ones being from McPhee, who was titled 'overseer' in your phone after your friends prank called him by looking up ‘Boss’ in your contacts. For the most part he had texted you updates on how the museum was going – apparently it was almost time for the travelling exhibits to leave, leaving McPhee and Tilly scrambling for excuses on why they needed to stay. He regaled that it was easy to cover up Ahk's disappearance considering no one actually _saw_ the body in the museum. It was only ever the coffin. Sac on the other hand was a little harder, but McPhee quickly excused it as her statue not being 'up to the status quo.'

The other text messages were ones you missed weeks or days ago, mostly consisting of 'where are you' and 'how's it going?'. You ignored those. You could explain what happened later when you had a full cover story for what had occurred.

"So where is this 'airport'?" Ahk asked, leaning his weight on his elbows rested on the table.

"There are multiple ones. Hold on," you said, exiting the messenger app and opening up Google maps. From there you searched up airport, the nearest one popping up in Quebec city. "It's a two hour drive away."

"Do you have a car?"

"No, but we can get a bus ride," you said, proceeding to look up the bus schedule.

_Think through the timing_, you thought, wondering if anyone on the bus would react badly to moving stone figures. Maybe you could pass it off as a costume, or some sort of dare – either way you knew you'd have to be on that flight during the night, as there was no way TSA would let statues on board, even if they were moving. While you weren't sure of their anatomy, you had already assumed all their inside were petrified as well. Or maybe you could say it was a skin disease.

_Okay_, you thought, _bus ride during the day, plane ride during the night, meaning we have to go now_.

You stood, pulling the two to their feet and leading them out the door. Casting one last thank you to the cashier, you followed your phone's directions to the nearest bus stop, where you proceeded to use the waiting time to text McPhee back.

> * We're in Quebec intact. Lost the trail so we're going to Italy, I think we'll find answers there.

As the three of you waited for the bus, you taught them how rock, paper, scissors worked, mostly out of pure boredom. It took them a little while to understand the premise of the game, and a little while longer to remember which item defeated which, but in the end Sac ended up being rather good at it. She recalled patterns well, you knew this from how she tracked. Skills are sometimes transferable in jobs, and there was no greater example than watching Ahk lose for the sixth time in a row, with Sac smiling brighter than ever beside him.

Another ten minutes passed before you heard the screeching halt of bus brakes, and in that moment you almost missed your city and your life, but it quickly dissipated when you entered and a man in a suit tried to flirt with Sac. She tried responding and settling the situation verbally and logically, but you pulled her away and explained that men usually don't listen. She understood that all too well.

"Awful rude, isn't it?" Ahk asked, whispering into your ear as the three of you settled into the couch at the back of the bus.

"Undoubtedly," you said, fidgeting with your hood till you found a comfortable position.

The bus rattled and started up once more, driving down the bumpy road at a slow pace. You made a few more stops along the way, stopping in towns and large bus stations before hitting the highway, where only then the speed increased. Surprisingly, neither Sacagawea nor Ahk looked too perturbed – you'd expected them to be a little more terrified of a massive, growling piece of metal, but maybe they'd already been in a car before. You didn't ask.

About an hour or so into the ride the three of you had shed most of your outer layers, the coats, scarves, and hat sitting in a lump beside you. They continued playing rock, paper, scissors even though you sat between them. While it _was_ annoying, having two people leaning over you constantly, it was nice to see them both not-miserable. You weren't sure if riding in a rickety bus with a bunch of strangers qualified as happy, but they seemed to be enjoying themselves anyway. Even though Ahk kept losing.

Checking your phone once more, you refreshed your memory on the name of the stop you'd be getting off at. With a sharp breath you noted that it'd be coming up soon. You warned them in a quiet voice, leaning over Ahk's lap to reach your jacket. Pulling it back on, you situated your satchel over your shoulders, and helped him wrap his scarf back around his neck. As Sac pulled her hat back on, the bus slowed to a halt with whining brakes. Wincing only slightly, you stood first, and led them off the bus, thanking the driver.

A short walk later and you came to stand before the airport. Snow dusted the sides of the road, the thin layers reaching under the overhang of the airport entrance. Crossing the street, you hurried inside as the sun set a bright red in the sky, clouds stretching across the sky like bursts of angel wings. It wasn't too packed inside – Christmas had already passed, leaving mostly business flights instead of leisure family time. In a dark corner of the airport Ahk and Sac changed from stone to flesh, and once that finished you hurried them over to the flight desk.

Rushing through all the steps, you didn't give them time to think on _how_ the transportation would work. It wasn't intentional, you weren't purposefully hiding it from them anymore, but it worked to your advantage anyway.

As you settled down at your gate, your backpacks shirked to the ground, you let yourself relax as the last vestiges of daylight disappeared. Ahk's attention was caught by the window, which he sat in front of on the floor. From there he watched the planes take off, his face paling as he realized he would be in one of those soon. Scrambling upwards, he ran back over to you, expressing his concerns in a harsh, whispered voice.

"We're not getting in one of those things, right? The big metal tube with the fins? The ones that go off the ground? How the hell do they do that?" He asked, gripping your arm so tight you could feel your hand numbing.

"It's _science_, there's nothing to worry about," you said, attempting to calm him down by placing your hand atop his. He pulled himself away from you violently, staring out the window with wide eyes.

"So we're getting in one of those things?!" He asked as he whipped back around to face you.

Standing up, you grabbed his face, squishing his cheeks between your palms as you forced him to look at you.

"It's more dangerous to ride in one of the buses we just rode in than it is to ride an airplane," you told him in a level voice, smiling sweetly the entire time. He seemed to relax after that, sitting back down beside you. "Besides," you continued, "we've got thirty minutes before we can board. Might as well relax."

"... right. I'll mentally prepare myself for the massive panic attack I'll have," he said bitterly, crossing his arms as he shut his eyes, taking a deep breath.

"You do that," you said, chuckling.

He pouted.

"Wait we're _flying_ across the sea?" Sac asked.

Sighing deeply, you closed your eyes. This would take a while.


	9. Incoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trip to and arriving in Rome.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this takes place in 2019 btw... no pandemic or anything.. just peace and anger at trump for stupid things..... also, i’ve been writing a chapter a day, but pls don’t be upset if I miss a day or something. it’s kind of hard to write 2,000+ words a day and I’m still practicing bass and guitar as well as drawing comics.

Usually tickets on nice airlines are around $1,000 per person. You got lucky, especially for reserving tickets that would be redeemed so soon, but that also left you with a less-than-adequate airline. There was still entertainment, which would keep Ahk busy – he adored television and movies – and Sac was fully absorbed in the picture book you'd bought at the airport, some sort of collection made by a Western photographer. You stayed busy on your phone, using the in-flight WiFi to check on various world news. As usual, Trump said something stupid, the nation had an outcry, and everyone forgot about it within the next couple of weeks. At least with Ahk you didn't have to worry about all that.

"Are we flying yet?" Ahk asked about ten minutes after you boarded.

No, you weren't. People were still getting on the plane and the door was open.

"Not exactly," you said, leaning closer to him but still keeping an eye on the open door.

The three of you sat in the middle row, where each segment had four seats. You sat at the left edge, Ahk beside you, and Sac beside him, with a stranger sitting beside her. As much as you felt guilty for giving her the short end of the stick, your position made it much easier to see the windows and doors which could prove useful in calming the two of them down. Despite Sac's insistence that she would not panic when the plane took off, you held your doubts – you went into a massive panic every time you took off, at least until you started taking Xanax. Now you could fly without it and still remain calm.

You watched as the door closed, shutting out the bright lights of the lamps showing the pilots the way. The plane jerked forward with a start, making Ahk reflexively grab the armrests, one of which had your arm on it.

"Sorry," he said quietly, quickly moving his hand back into his lap.

"It's fine. Just take deep breaths," you said, smiling softly at him. He nodded, closing his eyes and breathing, his hands clasped tight together.

Continuing onwards, you watched what little you could through the airplane windows as you moved onto the real take off street. Jerking forward again, the plane began picking up speed, bolting down the runway. Ahk offered no apology when he gripped your hand this time, holding you in a vice grip you couldn't escape even if you wanted to. Glancing over his body plastered to the back of the seat, you found Sac with her eyes shut and her legs tensed underneath the seat.

All three of you lurched forward when the front wheels came off the ground, followed quickly by the back wheels, making that familiar sick in your stomach bubble and swell as you gained altitude. Ahk gagged, and in a scramble you reached for the puke bag. Handing it to him, he looked confused at first, before you saw the color drain from his face. Ripping it open, he hung his head over it and waited for the whole experience to be over. Feeling rather bad for him, you stroked his hair, trying to calm him down. The flight attendant appeared quickly afterwards and took the bag from him.

"This... is misery," he mumbled, taking shallow breaths and shutting his eyes tight whenever the plane lurched and pulled.

"I know, it used to make me really sick too," you said quietly, trying to take his mind off it by running your fingers over his exposed forearm. He nodded.

Glancing over him once more, Sac seemed to be adjusting to the feeling, far faster than you ever did. A tinge of jealousy rang in your heart – you'd never been able to ride rollercoasters. Maybe she could. Then again, she didn't really have a stomach or anything, or any organs... at least you didn't think she did. You weren't about to ask. 

Gravity began to center, and with a look out the windows you saw both clouds and the city below, lights sparkling like the stars you so adored. Sometimes flying could be beautiful; you forget that. At last the upwards climb slowed till the plane straightened out, Ahk's grip lessening until a ding sounded from the speakers, and the pilot began speaking. Then he dug his nails back into your palm.

"Hello everyone," she said, her voice crackling over the cheap speaker. "This is your captain speaking, as you might've guessed. Or not."

Scattered chuckles from the many people seated.

"On behalf of the flight crew and myself I'd like to welcome you aboard Air Canada Flight 1647," the captain continued, "service from Quebec City to Rome. We should touch down there at 11 o' clock, local time. We're hitting an altitude of 11,000 feet, so food and drink services will be ready soon, but remember to keep your seatbelt fastened whenever you're sitting and whenever the fasten seatbelt sign is on."

"I understood very little of that," Ahk informed you when the mic cut out.

"It wasn't anything terribly important. Just that we've evened out so we're high enough now that there shouldn't be any massive bumps in the air," you said, trying to gently assure him so he'd quit digging his nails into your skin.

"There's bumps in the air?" He asked, his voice cracking.

"It's nothing to worry about, trust me," you said. He seemed disgruntled, but he decided to trust you, and that was enough for you, since he finally released his grip on you. Flexing your fingers a little bit, you let the blood rush back into them along with feeling.

Digging into the pocket in front of him, you pulled out the complimentary earbuds, and handed them to him. He looked at you, clearly confused before you remembered _he's still 6,000 years old_. You took them from him and untangled them, plugging the end into the output of the screen in front of him. When you tried to reach for his ears he flinched, unsure of what you were planning, which wasn't entirely uncalled for – at the museum you'd played a few pranks.

"They're called earbuds. You'll hear the screen through them instead of the screen just playing loud noise that everyone can hear," you explained, and after that he relaxed.

It took a little while longer to explain how the screen worked, that you could tap on it as well as use the remote built into the armrest of his seat. He caught on once he understood, telling you he used to have movie nights at the museum, usually with Atilla and Dexter. You smiled at the thought of that – it sounded like a domestic dream, something you might've been a part of had this adventure never happened. But there would've been a hundred things you never learned had this not happened; you never would've opened up to Ahk and Sac like you did, you never would've seen the real Sacagawea track through the forest like she did with Lewis and Clark, you never would've found out so much about Ahk's past – you knew he never would've told you without that day by the fire.

With Ahk fully situated and comfortable, you turned your attention to Sac, who was still staring straight ahead with wide eyes. Leaning across Ahk's lap, you pulled the earbuds out of her pocket, unravelling them once more and proceeding to go over your explanation of them.

"I was going to look at the book you got me," she said when you finished. You shook your head – that wasn't what you meant.

"There's music on there. It'll distract you, I promise," you said, handing her the earbuds again. Gingerly she took them, poking them into her ears and sifting through the music choices. You turned away at that point, checking on her in another five minutes, finding her deeply engrossed in the book and her 'Indigenous NA Music' playlist.

Taking a deep breath, you let yourself relax, shedding the lighter jacket you'd worn beneath the larger one that was currently stored in Ahk's backpack beneath the plane. At last you tended to yourself, pulling out your own airline-supplied earbuds and connecting them into the screen to choose your own music. Unfortunately your usual artist songs weren't on there, so you settled for second best, closing your eyes as the song began.

Halfway through your fifth song Ahk nudged you with his elbow, bringing you out of your trance. Pulling a single earbud out, you turned to him expectantly, waiting for what he had to say.

"This movie is really funny, do you want to watch it with me?" He asked, handing you his right earbud. He was playing Princess Bride.

"Sure," you said with a small shrug, fitting the bud into your ear and relaxing against him so neither you or him stretched the cord too far.

About thirty minutes into the movie you unwrapped the pillows and blankets in your seat, Ahk following your lead soon after till the both of you sat in cushy warmth, pressed up against each other to share the single screen. Another ten minutes later and he was leaning his head against your shoulder, hugging your arm against his body. Some point in the proceeding twenty minutes he began snoring quietly, his hold on you weakening as he slipped off into sleep. Smiling softly, you pulled his low blanket over his body, pausing the movie and pressing a small kiss to the top of his head. Closing your eyes, you followed after him in a slow drift.

You awoke around an hour later with the flash of a photo being taken, your tired eyes opening slowly to find Sac leaning over you, trying to discreetly put your phone back in your pocket. Noticing that you'd already awoken, she instinctively dropped the phone onto your lap and zipped right back into her seat.

"What was that?" You asked groggily, trying your best to rub your dry eyes without disturbing Ahk.

"You looked cute and Larry taught me how to use a phone," she answered with a shrug and a smile.

"Who's Larry?"

"Oh, you weren't... right. He was the old night guard at the museum, he retired a little while ago," she said, her eyes drifting to the side as she recalled her memories.

"Was he any better than our current one?" You asked.

"Tilly or Simon?"

"Simon. Tilly's not really the night guard of the museum, considering she's not employed by us," you said, taking very little time to consider the question.

"Hmm... I'd say Larry is a little more respectable than Simon," she answered thoughtfully.

That was a valid answer in your mind – you hadn't spoken much to Simon, but he was rather young (not that you weren't) and he made a lot of crass jokes. The kinds that make you say 'hey, that's racist' and all he says in return is 'shut up, it's called dark humor' which was unfortunate considering he was rather handsome.

Ahk awoke with a start, jumping out of your hold with an odd, inhuman snorting sound.

"What did - are we there yet?" He asked, turning to you with just about the most dazed and confused face you'd ever seen. Biting back a laugh, you informed him that no, you weren't even halfway through the flight. "Damn it," he muttered under his breath, trying to get comfortable beneath the blankets again. "Did you finish the movie?"

"No," you said, letting him settle back into your touch. "I paused it when you fell asleep. Want to pick it up again?"

He nodded eagerly, and moving back into your previous positions, you resumed the movie.

When you finished, he delved into a small conversation about character development, which wasn't the reaction you were expecting, but it wasn't entirely unwanted. You could enjoy some good storytelling and thorough characters, even if you were on a ludicrous mission. From there the two of you decided to watch another movie, though he left the choice up to you, claiming it wasn't fair if he picked two times in a row. You tried to tell him that you weren't even included in the choosing process for the first time, but that only solidified his position.

Eventually you landed on two different movies that you couldn't decide between – Avatar and Anastasia. You left that decision up to him, but the blue people seemed to intrigue him, so you ended up watching Avatar. Considering how long the flight was, maybe it was better that you were watching longer movies.

Near the end of the movie one of the flight attendants came up and asked you for your dinner order. Ahk stuttered over his words as he tried to pick, you picked quickly, and Sac denied having a meal. The attendant asked if she was sure, and she apparently was. Surprisingly, when the food arrived it tasted good – but that could've just been the fact that you'd eaten very little over the past month. Several times you and Ahk offered your food to Sac, but she was adamant that she wasn't hungry.

It wasn't until halfway through the flight that your body started cramping. After so long spent trekking through the wilderness, sitting for such an extended period didn't bode well for your muscles, that both relaxed and tightened in your cramped seat. To make things better for you as well as Sac and Ahk, you raised up the armrests so the chairs acted more as a couch. It certainly helped you reach Ahk better, who was now acting as a pillow for Sac, who had her head in his lap.

"How much longer till this ends?" He asked, his eyelids heavy and growing tired once again.

Tapping on his screen, you opened up the map, showing off the little airplane hovering over the great, blue sea. He squinted at it, eyes darting all over the map.

"We're the white thing?" He asked.

"Yes, that's the airplane," you said with a chuckle, nodding.

"So we're over a massive sea," he confirmed. You nodded again. "So hypothetically," he said, stroking his chin thoughtfully, "if we crashed, we'd be dead, since there's pretty much no one around."

"Well, um... yes, for twelve hours. People will notice if the plane doesn't arrive and they'll send scouts out looking for us," you explained, hoping he wouldn't go into another panic. Instead he nodded, turning back to the map as he began petting at Sac's hair.

"That's comforting," he said quietly, leaning back with his eyes closed.

"Gonna take another nap?"

"Yes, planes make me.. tired, for some reason," he murmured.

Wrapping your arm around his shoulders, you pulled him nearer to you. Situating the pillow behind your back, you leaned backwards, letting him settle his head on your chest, his lap still flat to support Sac. Looking over his head, the man sitting next to Sac gave you an odd look, one eyebrow cocked upwards – you shrugged as best you could without disturbing them. The man nodded and gave you a small, awkward thumbs up.

This time your nap took much, much longer, sending a wave of relief when you woke up to find you only had two more hours left on the flight. The man who had previously questioned you and your friends allowed you to use his phone charger, allowing you to reach 100%. That'd cover you till you found a place to stay while searching the library.

The planes' descent went over much smoother than the ascent, at least for Ahk it did – he later told you he enjoyed the ride, but Sac almost threw up on the way down. She didn't, which she joyously rubbed in Ahk's face as you went to grab your luggage from baggage claim. As they waited beside the conveyor belt, you went off to one of the small airport shops, purchasing Benadryl to help with Sac's persistent sickness.

"So, um, quick question," Ahk said upon your return as you handed the bottle to Sac. "What language is everyone speaking?"

"Italian," you answered. You didn't actually know Italian – only then did it hurt you that that may or may not put a hindrance on your trip.

"I wouldn't worry," he said, noticing your face drop, "I pick up languages pretty well."

"Do you now?" You asked with a chuckle, crossing your arms, feeling more incredulous than you should've. Ahkmenrah spoke English, Egyptian, and Hun – learning languages must've come naturally to him, at least more naturally than it came to you.

After reserving a cheaper hotel room, you moved on to catching a taxi. Piling you and your too-hot clothes onto the small car, you directed him to the correct address, and in a hushed voice explained to Ahk and Sac what a taxi did, how hotels worked, and other various things about Rome. You conveniently left out that Rome conquered Egypt after Ahk died.

"It was actually a little difficult picking out a hotel room," you told them, pulling your backpacks out of the trunk of the taxi. "There's different sized beds, some fit one person, some fit two or three, you know... ended up getting a bigger bed which fits two," you grunted as you hoisted Ahk's heavy backpack onto the hotel carrier, "and a couch that opens into a bed."

"Oh, that sounds interesting," Ahk said, his eyes lighting up.

"It's... really not," you laughed, pushing the stroller into the cramped elevator and holding the door open as Sac and Ahk shoved themselves in.

"Is this elevator going to break?" Sac asked, barely able to turn to you to ask the question.

"Probably not. Elevators are just smaller in Europe. Everything's smaller," you said with a grunt, pulling your arm out of the tiny space between the stroller and the elevator wall.

"Even p-"

"Don't," you muttered, making Ahk laugh.

"The forbidden question," he said to Sac, who giggled. As much as you tried to stay bitter about it, a smile broke across your face.

You led them through the hotel hallways, the bare, white walls and stone floor reminiscent of the hotels you stayed in while visiting Israel. It didn't take too long to find your room number, twisting the key in the old lock till it clicked.

Pushing the door open, you surveyed the room – it was a few steps lower than the hallway, a thin, black iron rail leading down the steps. To the right there was little else but a blank wall with a single mirror hanging on it, but to the left sat the large bed, the white sheets tucked meticulously underneath the mattress, large fluffy pillows sitting against the yellow wall with small chocolates on them. Like the railing, the bed had a frame of black iron lace. Above that hung a painting, and each side of the bed had its' own wooden nightstand. The room continued further to the left, a thin hallway leading to a well-decorated living area, where you found the couch. What first caught your interest was the closed door in the thin hallway, which led to a pristine, white bathroom. Across from that, a large wardrobe with two white bathrobes sat wide open. In the living room, you found a couple desks and the television which, as expected, was rather small. Almost every surface in the room had either an antique-styled lampshade or a vase full of flowers.

"Wow," Sac said breathlessly, smiling as she noticed the large windows opposite the bed, the sheer white curtains pulled halfway over them.

"It's certainly... different," Ahk said, looking a little miffed.

"Not up to your standards, is it?" You asked, nudging him playfully as you set your bag down on a desk.

"No, it's just... really, really small," he said, something you couldn't disagree with.

As you began to unwrap one of the chocolates laid out so sweetly on the pillows, your phone began to vibrate in your pocket, making you drop the candy and pull the phone out. It read 'Overseer,' and it was a FaceTime call. You loathed FaceTime calls, but he was still technically your boss, and you couldn't afford to lose your job after spending so much money on an impromptu trip. Hesitantly you accepted the call, setting it down on the desk and calling over your two friends.

"(Y/N)! Hi! How's everything going?" McPhee asked, much more chipper than you'd ever seen him, with much anxiety behind his eyes.

"It's going alright, can't say the same for the past couple weeks, but we're safe now," you said with a chuckle, recalling the many mishaps – mainly Ahk being a murderer.

"So you're in Italy then?"

"Yeah, Rome," you said, nodding.

"What's your plans for that?" He asked, his voice breaking up in the middle. You managed to understand him anyway, though you couldn't say the same for Ahk and Sac, who looked at each other confused.

"I'm thinking we'll find answers on how Anubis is getting to Duat in the Vatican library, and if we don't, we get into the archives," you explained.

"Right... best of luck on that, try not to die," he said, and a weak laugh left you. "I have news too, sort of. Everything's still dead, but Larry came by, he's here now," McPhee said, grinning bright as he handed the phone off to a man with a strong brow and thin nose.

"Larry! It's good to see you," Ahk exclaimed, suddenly crowding in closer to your phone, almost sharing the seat with you. Laughing at his excitement, you left the frame, letting the two of them converse happily. Even Sac seemed happy to see him.

Daylight began to pour directly through the windows, shining bright against both your skin and theirs, though theirs much duller – the stone transformation had happened right as you got out of the airport. Leaning back on the bed, you knitted your fingers behind your head, chewing at the chocolate. Out the window, the green vines crawling over the ancient walls shivered in the gentle breeze.

After a little while of relaxing, you pulled Sac's knife out of her jacket which had been tossed to the side, cutting a new wound into your arm, aligned neatly with the other two cuts. You quickly redid the eyes of Horus on their skin, a sight that sickened McPhee and confused Larry – Ahk and Sac proceeded to talk over each other, trying to explain to Larry why they had to do it.

Curling back up on the bed, you let the exhaustion of jet lag overcome you, and fell asleep still fully clothed.

You could worry on how to get into the archives later.


	10. Ancient and Beautiful

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Studying proceeds the doors.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> its super late at night but I managed to write a chapter today! its late bc i had to go visit the doctors and have an operation done that left me in a lot of pain. apologies, updates might be a little less steady bc of the whole doctors thing but itll be alright

"Unfortunately," you said, looking down at your phone, "we'll have to visit the library in the daytime."

"Do you think they'll stop us?" Sac asked, the puffy white comforter pushing down as she made to sit beside you, looking over your shoulder.

"Oh, they'll stop us regardless. They don't let just anyone in, but fortunately I always have my I.D. on me, which they will definitely ask for. I'm thinking if I can get in, I can help you sneak in," you said, mulling over the plan – it needed to be almost entirely foolproof. You couldn't afford to lose time with trials and law.

"Have you ever been inside the library itself?" Ahk asked, his back leant up against the window.

"No, actually, which will prove difficult in trying to find a way for you two to get in."

"I have a better idea," he said, catching yours and Sac's attention. "You enter normally, and you say we're your... _assistants_, or something. It's better to be caught lying than to be caught breaking the law."

"That's... not all too bad of an idea," you said.

Ever since the three of you left Canada, your jackets proved to be worth nothing more than a weight in your backpacks. You decided pretty early on to sell them (they weren't _too_ used), and use that money to buy more fitting clothes, ones that would blend in easier with the crowd. That day, you spent your time plotting out different ways you could try to get in, the various tricks you could pull and the mapped areas of the library. That evening, you went out about town to get streetwear. As much as you wished to enjoy your time there, eat at the nice restaurants and watch the water, go wine tasting and cloud gazing, there were more important things to do. It didn't mean you didn't look enviously at the people who were _actually_ there on vacation, though.

When at last you were fully changed into new clothes, white sleeves dripping loosely off your wrists and straight-cut brown pants on your legs, Ahk suggested the three of you to go eat dinner at a nearby restaurant. At first you hesitated – nighttime was special, there were things you could do in nighttime that you wouldn't dare do in the day. After Sac began joining in, agreeing happily with Ahk, you relented and sat down.

They enjoyed themselves. You did not. It grated at your mind, and the entire time you were either biting at your fingernails or chewing the inside of your cheek – what things would you find? Would you read something that would change your whole world view? Would you even be able to understand the writings?

Evening passed into night, making way for the first rays of dawn. By then, you were already back in the hotel, scribbling furiously at the hotel-supplied pen and paper, noting every fact about the library and plotting out a map as best you could. Some time in the morning, Ahk stood from the bed he was currently sharing with Sac. Coming up behind you, he rested a hand on your shoulder, mumbling about how you needed to get at least a little sleep. You could do nothing but agree.

That peace, the peace sleep gives, it didn't last long. You awoke at noon, flying up from the sofa bed and scrambling to put your clothes on. As you brushed your teeth you looked over your plans once more, double checking that you had access to your I.D. and proof of your doctorate. Stuffing your many scribbled and messy notes into your satchel, you shook Sac awake, who proceeded to disturb Ahk by 'accidentally' elbowing him in the nose.

In a rush they readied themselves, hurried by your incessant nagging. Just barely managing to pull on his left sandal, Ahk jumped after the two of you as you left the hotel, quickly catching up to you in the hallway. Down the elevator, through the lobby, across the street, into the taxi, along the Sistine chapel, out of the taxi and onto the grassy field in front of the grand library, a building older than you and your bones would ever be. It all passed in a flash, the world suddenly halting when you finally stood before it – _this_ would give you answers, somehow you knew it would. The gross amount of scripts and texts would not deter you, no matter the number. You _needed_ to find answers.

Looking back down at the instructions on your phone, you found the doorway to the library, a surprisingly modest and small door that had little special about it except for what it guarded. Much like yourself, you noted as you reached for the handle. Twisting till it clicked, you opened it, letting your friends in before you closed it behind you. The small office before the library itself was just as modest as the door, tiny and shoddy and in no way remarkable. At the desk to the left, an older lady sat sorting through papers, and beside her sat the real door to the library, enforced by a couple guards.

"Are you here for the library?" She asked, peering over her large, round glasses.

"Oh, um, yes. My name is Doctor (L/N), I'm," you dug into your bag for your I.D., handing it to her when you found it, "I'm here to study over the Pharaoh Ahkmenrah. These are my assistants... uh, Rami, and Sierra."

You looked back at them. They gave you odd looks, clearly not satisfied with your name choice. As subtle as you could you shrugged – couldn't do anything about it now.

The woman looked over your I.D., holding it up to the bright, fluorescent light above her desk to check its authenticity. After a good long while of her looking at the I.D. and you with a scrutiny so strong you were sure that even if this was entirely legal you would've confessed to every sin.

"I'll have to call your university for confirmation. What school did you attend?"

"Oh, sure. Right. I, um, I attended Cambridge University, you know... the British one," you said with a weak laugh, suddenly losing a good amount of feeling in your legs as she just stared, quirking a single eyebrow upwards.

"I know where Cambridge is, honey," she said as though she hadn't just given you the worst judgement of your life.

She handed you back your card, which you quickly took, watching in sudden fear as she dialed up your university's number. Turning back to your friends, you joined them, overhearing little of the lady's phone conversation.

"Are you sure this is going to be alright?" Sac asked, leaning closer to you. Taking a steadying breath, you nodded – where else would you go? Even if you felt the pull to leave (which you didn't, secret libraries were cocaine for historians like you), you had a duty to Ahk, something you'd promised him. You would not abandon that.

"It's legit, it's not like it's forged. We're just nervous because it's high security," you said in a hushed whisper, careful to make sure that first and foremost the guards didn't hear you, and past that that you didn't look or sound suspicious, huddled together with your friends and whispering.

Tapping your foot against the ground in what you deciphered as either anxiety or impatience, you stared up at the ceiling, passing the time by examining the various mystery stains. The woman behind the counter still chattered quietly over the phone. When at last the call ended, you went straight up to her desk, ready for her to approve you.

"Checks out. Who are those two? Will they be entering with you?"

You'd already answered that.

"They're my assistants, I'm teaching them a bit," you answered, a simpler answer than the first one you'd given. She looked to them, then back at you, and then to your I.D.

"Alright, head in," she said, offering a weak smile as you hurried through the doors, motioning for your friends to follow you.

Immediately the dingy walls turned to ancient stone, wooden bookcases lining every wall in the low ceiling room, every available wall space lined with Christian paintings and ancient gold. The floor, checkered black and white shined bright with the light of day flooding in through large windows. Gold, blue, and white made up most of the ceiling colors – each section of ceiling had its' own mural, almost overdoing the amount of grand crosses, gruesome imagery set right beside heavenly.

"What now?" Sac asked, still staring up at the dome-like ceiling.

"Well, um, first," you said, digging into your satchel, "gloves, everyone. They won't feel great since they're pretty cheap, but it'll prevent you from getting any human oils on the pages. You too, Sac, since you're made of wax which can get a bit oily."

They both took their pairs of gloves without complaint, pulling the faux leather over their fingers and examining how they fitted. You put your own pair on as well.

"I say we split up. Sac, you can't read English, so I'm thinking you'd either be best off joining one of us or looking at the maps," you said, your perfectly memorized plan still fresh in your head. She nodded, taking off in a random direction, looking down every aisle. "We both read hieroglyphs but I can read english and latin, so I'm thinking you look at the original scrolls of your peoples, see if they have any information. I'll look over letters and translations, that sort of thing."

"Got it. Where do you think we'll find a hieroglyph section?" He asked, following you as you set off down the long hall.

"Not sure, there aren't many layout maps of this place," you mumbled, trying to concentrate on the many signs, and mentally translating them into English. Italian was not your forte, you'd never even studied it before – you only picked up on the bare minimum, which was doing the bare minimum in helping you translate the signs.

Turning down several different hallways, you ended up in a large center, where a few students were gathered, all sitting at the long desks with their heads buried in books. Making sure to make your footsteps quieter, you went through the larger aisles. As you made to go down another aisle, Ahk tugged at your arm, pulling your attention to a large parchment on display, covered in hieroglyphs and drawings. The two of you rushed over, still trying your best to stay quiet, stopping in front of the parchment inside the glass.

"So you can speak this?" Ahk asked, mouthing some of the words.

"Not really. I can understand it, I know what everything means, but I don't know how to say it out loud. You guys didn't exactly include vowels in your alphabet, made it pretty hard to say out loud," you reminded him, reaching for your pen and notepad, your eyes still glued on the parchment.

"At least we know we're in the right place," Ahk said quietly, turning to stare up at the ceiling, which now extended far into the air, the deep domes shadowed darkly against the natural light let in by arches and windows.

"That we are," you murmured, turning to look at the art with him – you'd seen beautiful things before, and you'd seen ancient things before, but it was always something to appreciate when they were one and the same. Ancient and beautiful.

Clarifying a few more things, the two of you split up, going over every artifact you could find, examining every papyrus and letter, anything that mentioned Duat. Unfortunately, Egyptians had such a love of like that they desperately wanted it to continue on _after_ death, causing a massive interest in death, meaning Duat was mentioned quite a lot. Not only that, but the library was massive. The Egyptian section itself held up the space of an entire floor and a half, each room on those floors filled to the brim with maps and every mentioning of death. If there was anything to be found, you would find it here – the only issue being it would take you forever to find. None of the articles were put onto any online database, or even in a book. There were no guides here, and Ahk hated going blind.

Eventually the day grew late, and the time constraints of the opening times began to bug at you. If you could've stayed up all night, looking through every book, you would've – you'd done it before for a whole lot less. Ahk was a damn delight to have around, too. He enjoyed looking through the parchments and scrolls with you, even teaching you the exact pronunciation of some words as you whizzed through the information, cataloguing everything that had the slightest chance of being important.

Crammed right next to each other, with a book larger than both your torsos combined sat in front of you, the two of you studied the pages and images in the dim lamp light. Caught up in everything, the thrill of authentic paper and the closeness to a culture the both of you adored, you didn't notice the passage of time from day to dusk and into shallow evening. A man tapped on your shoulder, catching your attention from the script. You nudged Ahk.

"We're closing up," he told you, motioning for the two of you to stand. You obeyed, Ahk taking a step ahead of you to put away the large book.

"One of my assistants is still here, probably in the maps section," you said.

"Native American girl? Black braids?"

You nodded as Ahk returned, resuming his position beside you.

"She's in the lobby already," he said, pushing you off in that direction.

"Thank you!" You called, jogging down the halls with Ahk, following the path you'd taken to get there before you reached the lobby once more.

The same woman was still at the desk, looking over some documents with the same massive glasses and overbearingly bright light. Sitting with her back straight up, Sac looked up to you with a smile, standing from the cheap chair to join you on your walk back to the hotel.

Pushing open the door, a rush of fresh night air hit you. Even far into the city you could smell the scent of ocean salt in the air, just enough to enliven you, mixed with the warmly lit restaurants lining the cobblestone street you walked down. Unlike America, a good deal of European streets and cities had no layout whatsoever, simply building randomly wherever a person could, leaving winding streets and alleyways that twisted back and forth. Down most of the streets you walked, they could only fit a single car. Even that car had to be small, and in that moment it was so perfectly crystal clear as to why Italians preferred small Fiats.

You didn't check your phone much, too engrossed in the conversation you held with Sac and Ahk. Despite the fact that you were fully involved in the conversation, you had little idea as to what exactly you were discussing, only that it would break the three of you into fits of giggles every now and then. The three of you passed by a street that led directly down to the beach, the buildings that broke the view silhouettes against the moonlight.

"Does it feel good to be human?" You asked them, unsure if you wanted to hear the answer. It felt good for you to be human, sometimes you liked being alive; _now_ you liked being alive, beside them. You wondered if you'd ever be able to be alone again after all this ended.

"(Y/N)," Ahk said, wrapping his arm around your shoulder, "it feels _wonderful_ to be human. Can we get some wine on the way back?"

"Ahk," you said with a laugh, shoving him away. "We aren't here for fun."

"We don't have anything better to do during the night," Sac pointed out, making you laugh further. You never expected _her_ to be in favour of that – she always seemed the type of person to reign in her feelings, to be stoic but kind, but in every instance she'd proved the opposite.

"I suppose you're right," you said, beginning to stroll up the streets once more, "but nothing too expensive."

Popping in and out of a wine house, you got your hands on a Merlot priced on the cheaper side, one of the first wines you'd been recommended. Since then it hadn't failed you, and pouring three different cups of red wine felt the same as it had many years ago. Clinking your glasses together, you each took a sip, you watching their reactions carefully. Sac furrowed her brow then laughed, taking another swallow to taste it a little better. Ahk, sitting opposite her, almost choked on his drink.

"Oh god, this tastes a _lot_ different from the wine I'm used to," he blurted out, making laughter erupt out of you.

"Of course it is! Your stuff isn't even really wine as we know it today, it's only called that cause it's fruity and alcoholic," you said, trying to calm your giggles.

"Maybe your stuff is the one that's bad," he said as he stuck his nose up, miffed at your reaction.

"If you don't like it, I'll take your drink," you said.

"I didn't say that!"

Three cups later and you were well passed out on the couch, which had not yet been unfolded into a bed for the night. Of course, you didn't know this till you woke up in the white sheets of the bed, Ahk sleeping beside you, his eyes shut gently, his breathing soft in the sunlight streaming through the part in the linen curtains. You almost jumped when you saw him, but to his benefit and yours you didn't. Instead, you let him sleep for a little while longer, matched with Sac's slow breathing coming from the sofa.

Rolling over, you made to check your phone, your bright screen informing you it was currently 9.20. You sat up with a groan, doing a quick once-over of the room. Nothing destroyed. That was a good sign.

Much like the previous morning but much less rushed, the three of you got ready, double checking that you had everything you needed before heading off again. Once more you offered the lady at the desk your I.D. At least this time she didn't call your school, simply handing you the I.D. back and letting you and your 'assistants' enter.

"I really wish you'd given me a cooler name," Ahk said as Sac separated from the group, heading off to the maps again.

"Now really isn't the time to debate your fictional name," you said with a laugh, dragging him back over to the desk you occupied the day before, pulling out the same massive book and trying to find where you left off.

You stayed there, studying away till afternoon, when your stomach began grumbling. Ahk noticed it first, but you quickly brushed it off. There were important things. Then it growled five minutes after that, and suddenly Ahk was acting like a bothersome mother.

"When was the last time you ate, anyway?" He asked, pushing the large book out of the way.

"It's not important, I feel fine," you said, beginning to have legitimate trouble recalling the last time you ate a meal. Did you eat yesterday? The day before?

"You can't concentrate and be of any use to me if you aren't at your best, and you can't be at your best without eating. Come on, I'm sure our trip won't take more than an hour," he said with a bright grin, patting you on the shoulder as he stood. When you grumbled to yourself as you crossed your arms, he tugged at your hand, forcing you to your feet.

"Let's find Sac, I'm sure she'd appreciate a break from this all as well," he suggested, his signature playful grin on his face as the two of you headed off.

Once you found Sac the three of you left the building, informing the desk lady that you'd be returning shortly. She didn't seem to care. Roaming the streets with little aim beside a weak search for a place to eat, you happened upon a roadside sandwich shop, which sold surprisingly good sandwiches. You even managed to convince Sac to get one, and you ate them on the walk back to the library. No time to waste, as Ahk put it, with you helpfully adding that this excursion was his idea in the first place. He didn't seem to care either.

By the time you reached the library again, the desk lady had forgotten about your presence, and reevaluated your I.D. Looking up at you, then back down at the I.D., then to your friends, then back at your I.D., and back at you, then _finally_ she let you in again.

"You'd think she would've memorized everything on this card by now, considering how long she stares at it," you said, almost astounded at her patience for her job as you tucked the I.D. back into your bag.

"Maybe she thinks you're really pretty and likes to stare at pictures of you," Ahk suggested with a shrug.

"That just makes it more unsettling!"

Separating once more, Sac went to the maps, and you and Ahk headed off to the Egyptian scrolls and letters. This time he stayed in the hieroglyph area while you began to go through Roman correspondence during the takeover of Egypt by Rome. You didn't reconvene till late in the afternoon, verging on evening what with the early sunsets. Sitting in the main study area of the whole library, you discussed your findings in hushed voices, taking notes on whatever Ahk or Sac thought to be pertinent to your task.

Checking around every now and then, you were fortunate enough to have an empty room. That was, until a woman popped up, wearing a neat, long red skirt with a white blouse tucked into the waist. Every part of her was well taken care of – clean hair, polished nails, glowing skin – and she didn't like the looks of you three. You could understand that; all three of you looked ratted beyond all hell. Only recently had you been able to shower, and all your clothes were from thrift stores, and all of you paid the least attention possible to hygiene. The only one of you to ever show any aversion to it was Ahk, unsurprisingly. Ancient Egyptians were criminally clean.

But she kept staring at you, giving you odd looks through her gold framed glasses, tugging at her red ascot that matched her skirt exactly. Each time you looked up from your huddle, you could bet on her looking at you. Of course, every time you caught her, she immediately looked away. When you caught her for the third time, you brought it up.

"We should stay quiet, that lady over there is paying us too much attention," you said, making sure to keep your voice low. The two of them nodded, sparing quick glances in her direction to confirm her identity.

"I don't trust that. These ceilings make it easy to hear conversations from far away," Ahk said, looking up at the chapel-like roof, "and she looks like she's already spooked."

"We shouldn't jump too easily to conclusions. I know we've had luck in the past with no one finding bodies, but that doesn't mean it'll be like that all the time," Sac said in that same hushed voice as you watched the lady, seeing if she'd react.

She did.

"She can hear us," you said suddenly, hitting Ahk's arm as you watched her hurry out of the room.

"Fuck," he muttered under his breath, jumping out of his seat and following her.

"Ahk! Are - are you serious?" You said in a forced whisper, going after him and praying he wouldn't do anything too rash again. Sac trailed after you soon after.

Just barely staying in tune with his pace, you managed to hurry a little faster, catching up to him. His steel gaze never wavered from her, fierce eyes practically hunting her down. Grabbing at his hand, you tugged him to face you, trying to separate his concentration from her.

"Look, we can settle this better, we can do this the right way," you pleaded, rushing through the words, unsure of what could pull him out of his decision.

"What the hell do you want me to do?" Ahk asked through gritted teeth as Sac appeared at your side. "She knows about the - you know. She's going to tell someone, and we don't exactly blend in well."

He wasn't wrong. He wasn't wrong, and that was the terrifying part – no matter how hard you racked your brain, you couldn't think of a way this would end without either you or her ending in a horrible situation. In another couple days you'd probably have an idea, without the pressure of an in-the-moment pull, but you didn't have that kind of time. She was rounding past a block, a turn in the street that you knew had an entrance to the catacombs on it.

It would be easy to hide the body in a mass grave.

It would be horrifying to die down there.

"She's - she's nearing the catacombs, it's a large green door that leads to an underground cemetery, but I can't - I don't.. want to do this," you said, stumbling over your words. No matter if you watched the murder, partook in it, or avoided it entirely, you'd be at fault. You didn't stop him. You _supplied_ him with the means, you and Sac, who pulled her dagger out of her boot and handed it discreetly to Ahk.

"It's difficult for you, isn't it?" Sac asked, leading you in the opposite direction as Ahk left you.

"Yes, I can't... I never thought I'd be in this position," you said, your throat thick.

"Ahk and I are a little more used to it. I think that is because we both handled with a lot more death than people do nowadays," she said sagely, offering you something you hadn't really thought about before.

"I guess you're right," you mumbled, still feeling miserable about essentially being an accessory to straight up murder.

"Let's get back to the library and wait for Ahk there, yes?" She offered, which you accepted drearily. For the first time since you'd arrived, studying felt like a tiresome chore, which weighed on you all the way back to the old lady's reception desk.

It didn't take too long till Ahk returned, his clothes suspiciously dirty but otherwise clean, most notably clean of blood. He grinned that charming smile, and you could almost forget his transgressions. You checked the three of you back into the library, returning to vigorous study in the long, drawn out hours of the day. There was so, so much information to sift through, and for the short time you'd been there, you hadn't done too badly, at least not in your opinion. There were many days ahead of you – that was all you knew. Many, many days.


	11. More Important Things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is a difference between what’s good for the individual versus what’s good for the many, a divide you wished didn’t exist.

You began to lose track of how many hours, how many _days_ you'd been searching through the library. Time spent there seemed to both crawl and quicken, the only indicator of passing time being the angle of the sun's light through the windows, which you paid very little attention to, if any at all. The whole ordeal wasn't actually affecting you too badly – your only issue was that you forgot the day of the week quite often. McPhee would remind you whenever he called. But no, for the most part you were fine, and all that mattered was that you were still sane enough to keep sifting through the library's documents. Sac appeared to be fine as well – she adored the different lands and the foreign marks on the maps, loved decoding them and picturing it all in her head.

It was _Ahk_ that was the problem. Again. He was beginning to stress, worrying constantly about how far along Anubis was. His worries weren't entirely unwarranted, but when he began obsessively taking stacks of books and scrolls off the shelves and landing a massive pile of them on the table, insisting the two of you needed to finish that amount by _that night,_ that was irritating.

"Ahk, be reasonable," you pleaded with him, fully over this shenanigan of his by the third time he suggested it.

"This isn't even the entirety of one shelf!" He said, as if that would make it better. "We haven't put a dent into this library and it's been what, I don't know, a week? Two?"

"Six days," you grumbled, leaning your forehead against your palm.

"Six days?! This - we are going to spend forever in here," he hissed as he leant down to face you.

"This is just what studying is, Ahk. Time taking."

"Yes well - studying is fine, but not when we've got a time limit," he said, making to sit down beside you. He squished in, already grabbing a scroll and unravelling it, showing off the Chinese lettering. He looked at it for a moment, stunned into silence.

"Ahk," you mumbled, feeling horribly tired.

"What... is this?" He asked quietly.

"That's fucking Chinese. What were you doing in the Chinese section," you grumbled, voice cracking in your exhaustion.

"I don't... I don't know?"

"I think you two have been in here for too long," came a voice behind you. Turning slowly, you came face to face with Sac, who held a scroll in her gloved hand.

"Probably," you sighed. "What've you got?"

"I don't know," she said, handing Ahk the scroll. "It's filled with your hieroglyphs, but I found it in the map section."

Scooting over, the three of you clumped together on the bench, one person on either side of Ahk as he unravelled it.

"Hetep di nesiw inperw hen -" Ahk began slowly, before you reminded him quietly that neither you nor Sac could audibly understand the Egyptian language.

"An offering the King gives Anubis," you read, your interest suddenly caught at the mention of Anubis. But you knew this formula, this type of letter – it was plastered on every tomb, and you knew the words by heart. "In front at the God's booth; voice offering for governor, overseer of priests - I know this. It's from Mereri's tomb in Dendereh. I don't think it'll be of much help."

"In the least we can return it to its' proper place," Sac said with a small shrug, standing and taking the parchment from Ahk. She rolled it back up, found a secure place on one of the shelves, and returned a moment later.

"There's so much information here," you grumbled, rubbing your face tiredly with your hands.

You hadn't had much of a break as of recent, either – the three of you didn't find any amusement in breaks anymore. Instead, you remained in the library for as long as possible, and by the end of the day your energy was drained entirely. It left for little else to do but return to the hotel and sleep off the night, dreaming that maybe you'll find what you're looking for. Even as your concentration began to waver in the evening you did not stop, writing down every pertinent fact, recording every image that might be important.

It felt an awful lot like university again.

"Maybe we need a break from it all," Sac suggested quietly on the long walk back to your hotel.

"I don't think we have _time_ for a break," Ahk said, his nails digging anxiously into his palm.

"I think you're both right," you said with a sigh, unsure of how you could cater to both those things. "We need a break, desperately... but we gotta remember Anubis isn't taking any breaks."

"If we rest for a bit, we could revitalize, and then it won't be so hard to look for what we need," Sac said, bringing up a valid point – when you studied while exhausted and burnt out, you absorbed close to nothing. Even Ahk seemed to be in careful agreement.

"Maybe. We can discuss this in the morning," you said, opening the hotel doors for them. They agreed, and with that, the three of you passed out on the beds.

In the morning, you found Ahk fidgeting on the pull out bed, his back turned to you and the sheets crumbled into a ball in his fist. Staying as quiet as possible, you snuck up behind him. With a grab to his shoulder he jumped, whipping around to face you, currently laughing as you knelt on the empty mattress.

"Morning Ahk," you said, cooling down the fit of giggles you'd launched into. Laughing from the shock, he took a breath to calm down, a vacant smile still on his face.

"Hi... what time is it?" He asked in a daze. Moving down beside him, he wrapped his arm around you, allowing you to grab at his hand playfully.

"Eight o clock," you said, his arms dancing limp in your grasp.

"Is Sac up?"

"Yep, she's in the bath right now. I'm thinking we spend half the day in the library and the other half relaxing, so we don't lose a whole day," you said as he began to sit up, the white sheets falling from his naked torso.

"Alright. I suppose I could compromise to that," he said, his voice still rough with sleep. His hair sat a black, tangled mess on top of his head – it was odd, but it never grew. Yours did, and it was becoming a proper mess ever since you left New York.

That felt like forever ago, that night in the snow, leaving everything behind at the drop of a hat. You barely knew Sac, only spoken to her once before that moment. Ahk you knew a little better, but not nearly as well as you did now, watching him find comfort in your touch as he kept near you. Leaning against you he rested his head on your shoulder, his right side pressed against yours. He yawned, letting a long breath draw from him as he melted down, his muscles relaxing entirely.

"I never asked you this, I meant to but I sort of forgot, but... can you feel the sun?" You asked quietly, hearing the rush of bathwater coming from the bathroom halt. The window across from the bed stretched into the living area, the morning sunshine pouring through the white curtains and onto your skin and his.

"I can. I nearly cried when I first felt it," he mumbled.

"That's good... I'm glad you can feel it."

For the remainder of the morning, you hurried through your morning prep before arriving at the library early, your I.D. already in hand to give to the desk lady, who still would not tell you her name. You didn't care to insist on it either, considering how suspicious she would get of you three every time you came by. It became a running joke between you, Ahk, and Sac – overanalyzing the simplest of things while the other two burst into giggles. Lately you hadn't gotten much time for joking. The three of you were almost always separated, trying to cover as much information as you could in the short allotted time.

By noon you found nothing, which you'd been expecting, though that didn't make it any less disappointing. Ahk looked equally annoyed and resigned, a look which frightened you. He was never the type to look defeated. Sac came over to find you a little while later, informing you she hadn't found anything either.

"I say we go back to the hotel, take a nap or somethin', then we can go have fun," you said, stretching your hands to the ceiling as you stood. Twisting your torso, your spine crackled all the way down, alarming all three of you.

"Um.. yeah, yeah - that way we've got skin for that time," Ahk said, clearly already tired.

You put away the books and scrolls, making sure you adhered to the alphabetical order of the library. As you left the building, the desk lady gave you an odd stare, peering over the top of her glasses. She probably found it strange, you three leaving so soon – at least, that seemed like the most realistic reason. It didn't matter anyway. You were far too tired to dwell on it too much; maybe all that studying really _was_ weighing on you. With your mind blank of thoughts, you trudged up the cobblestone streets, keeping to the side whenever a car or scooter passed you by.

The three of you collapsed on the unmade bed that technically only fit two of you, if that – as usual, things in Europe were a good deal smaller. Crammed in tight, you enjoyed the dull heat of their bodies in the cold room, curling into a ball around a pillow you hugged. You distantly recognized Ahk beside you and Sac draped across your waist, but all that went fuzzy when you fell asleep.

You awoke to buzzing in your pocket. Lifting your head from the pillow, your whole head feeling heavy and dry, you palmed at your thighs, trying to find your pocket. Finally finding it, you dug in and pulled out your phone. 3.57 and McPhee was calling you. Again. Despite your annoyance you picked up, gently shaking Ahk and Sac awake as the call connected.

"Hi! How are things going? It's been a little while since I checked in," McPhee said, a bright smile across his face. Looking behind him, you saw the background of his office, the shutters closed tight.

"It's been like a day," you mumbled, your throat dry.

"Still, have you made any progress?"

You could physically _feel_ the stress from his question bubbling in your heart, and watching Ahk's face, you could see him fall right back into that anxiety you'd been trying so hard to heal.

"Not yet," you said with a sniff, fully sitting up now with Ahk and Sac both awake. Neither of them bothered to look at the phone though, simply listening from their positions. "I feel like we're almost there."

"Right, well, if there's any changes call me. I'm happy to help long as you're willing to keep working," he said, still grinning brightly.

"Thanks. Better get back to it then. See you around," you said, waiting for him to bid good bye before you hung up, tucking your phone back in your pocket.

"Should we get going?" Sac asked, making to sit up.

"Yeah, sure. Any ideas on what you guys want to do?"

"Eat?" Ahk suggested. You looked at each other before you shrugged, agreeing.

Situation the clothes that had grown messy and wrinkly from the nap back onto yourselves, you headed out of the hotel. Walking down the roads, you decided that maybe they'd like to see the ocean, since that was something not everyone in the ancient world could do. You didn't pull out your phone for directions – the distant water was an easy sight to see through the sloped streets. Leading the way, you paused by a shop for gelato, deciding that it couldn't hurt to get something delicious that wasn't quite as expensive as a dinner.

You ordered vanilla, a plain choice that almost always satiated you. Sac went with a sorbet, even though you told her the gelato is better, but she just said if she wanted to try it she'd take a bite of yours. Ahk had a much harder time choosing. You assumed that was probably because he'd never seen ice cream before, and had very little idea as to how it tasted. None of you could blame him for that, but the line behind you and the employees didn't understand that very well, and grew a little impatient. Eventually you intervened.

"What types of flavors do you like? Ones that are sweet," you asked, pushing him gently to the side so you could see the array of options.

"Um," he looked to you, then back at the glass case, "honey, and fig, I suppose."

"I think you'll like black raspberry."

By the time you paid he still hadn't taken a bite of it, giving it suspicious looks as it melted away in his cone. Pulling the both of them out of the shop to make room for the other people waiting to order, you continued on your way to the ocean, an early sunset already coloring the sky in hues of pink and red blush.

"You're going to have to lick it at some point," you said to him when part of it began to melt, dripping onto his fingers.

"Why is it so cold?" He asked, still looking at it suspiciously.

"Jesus Christ, you're acting like it's covered in blood. Just fuckin' eat it, it's really good," you said with a laugh, licking away at your own cone. Hesitantly he looked to you before looking back down at it, taking his first taste. The cobblestone beneath your feet faded into sand, squishing down as you took your first steps onto the beach, digging your sandaled feet into it.

"It's... it feels wrong but it's also very good?" He said, sounding horribly confused.

"Just make sure to eat it before it all turns to liquid."

For how warm that day was compared to the days before, the beach was relatively empty – there were still children there, wading in the low waves, alongside couples who strolled down the sand, their hands intertwined. You kept your eye on the water, excitement fueling your energy. As a child, the ocean was something wonderful to see, something you adored to be near, even if the Mediterranean had all those tiny biting fish. Standing beside you and keeping you at an even pace, Sac didn't seem too excited – you sort of expected that. She'd seen beautiful things before. But Ahk, flanking your other side, he didn't look pleasantly relaxed or excited; he looked lonesome. For only a moment you wondered what was wrong, trailing his stare to the couples sitting together and standing too close with each other. After that, you left it alone, and did not think about it. The ocean was in front of you.

Pulling off your sandals and rolling up your pants, you waded into the shallow water, feeling the push and pull of the waves, the sand disappearing beneath your feet the longer you stood. The setting sun cast its red glow against your skin, warming what little it could before it set. Taking the last few bites of your ice cream, you waded out deeper, feeling your self restraint fade away as the waves crashed up, soaking your pants up to your knees. After tossing away her ice cream cup, Sac joined you, her skirt allowing for her to wade deeper. Even with your pants growing heavy and wet, you followed her out into the sea.

Laughing at the way the waves rolled against your bare skin, you turned back to shore, beckoning Ahk to join you. Smiling he declined, telling you over the crash of the waves that he didn't care to get wet. Soon after you headed back to shore, followed by Sac a little while later, the three of you resuming your little walk down the beach. The sun sank below the water, a plum dusk encapsulating the land.

"I hate to ruin your mood, but I don't think we'll make it in time," Ahk said in a quiet voice when the beach grew lonely, the people spaced far away from each other.

"Probably not, but that doesn't mean the journey is over," Sac said, making a weak smile cross Ahk's face.

"If there's a door to Duat, that means we can enter through it, right? If there's no other choice, I'd be willing to do it," you said, once more promising something that would almost certainly leave you scarred and at least a little traumatized.

"God, everything.. everything feels like too much," he said, staring off across the ocean.

"What do you mean?" You asked, pausing your stroll to look him in the eye. He wouldn't meet your gaze, but Sac patted your shoulder, leaving to god knows where, just when you needed her most. She took her talent for deescalation with her.

"Just - we have so much to do, and it doesn't feel like it's physically possible to do," he said, sitting down in the sand, his knees pulled up to rest his elbows on. You sat beside him, leaning close. "The ocean, it's so big, there's just - there's so much I don't know, so many things I wish I could've had."

"It can be difficult to see a future you can't easily partake in, I understand," you said in a soft voice, remembering all those times you dreamed of living forever, if only to see how it all ends.

"What's even at the other side of this friggin' ocean? Is it New York?"

"Um, not quite... that's the Mediterranean sea, so technically what's across from Italy is Africa, where you're from," you said, looking at the horizon.

"Wait, wait - that tiny little lake thing above Africa, that's _this_?" He asked incredulously, turning to you with wide eyes.

"Things are a lot bigger in person than they are on maps," you said with a shrug. That was a reality no one could escape.

"Ugh," he groaned, burying his face in his hands, his knees pulled up tight against his chest. "And there's so many people."

"Yeah," you agreed. "The world has so many cultures, I think it's interesting to see how humans come up with the same things time after time, just in different ways - I guess it's a way to forget that each civilization had hundreds, if not thousands of people."

"Do you people even have a vague count on how many civilizations there are and were?"

"Well, we have a count on the most prominent and advanced ones. Around six, including Egypt. You guys were really ahead of your time," you said, nudging him gently.

"You're not counting the different tribes though, are you?" He asked quietly.

"No," you admitted. "If I did, we'd be here forever while I tried remembering them all."

"To think, when I was alive I thought all there was was Egypt, those who loved us, and those who hated us," he scoffed, leaning his cheek against his hand. "I was foolish to think we were the only ones."

"No, you weren't foolish at all. You were intelligent, you cared for your people better than almost every other civilization did. Your medicine actually worked, you performed surgeries before basically everyone else, you charted the stars and you grew fields of food in a barren desert, Ahk – that isn't worth nothing. Your home isn't worth nothing, what you did still impacts the modern world to this day. What you did impacted me, too, you know."

"How?" He asked, his voice rough and low.

"I... I never really told anyone this, but when I was a kid, my parents took me to the Natural History Museum, you know, the one you were originally from?"

He nodded, his interest piqued.

"I found your exhibit, I must've been seven or eight at the time. Um, I saw the drawings on the wall, the hieroglyphs all over your exhibit, and it sort of spurred me on to learn more about Egypt. I learned as much as I could, I got really interested in different Kings and priests. By the time I was old enough to realize you were a real person, I had forgotten your name," you said, chuckling nervously as you rubbed the back of neck, anxious to see his reaction.

"So I inspired you to get a doctorate in my religion?"

"Sort of?"

He laughed, first slow and growing, till he belted out, leaning back into the sand till he lay down, his knees still in the air. You scooted closer to him, moving so you could see him a little better.

"That's funny, honestly. I..." he looked up at you from where he lay, falling suddenly silent as his hand came beside yours, playing with your lax fingers. "Can I say something?"

"Of course," you said, anxiety overtaking you at his words. Usually when people asked to talk, things didn't end well, and this instance had you going over every single interaction you'd had with him, wondering where you could've gone wrong.

"You're so... kind, and generous. You take care of me so much. I wish I could do the same for you," he said, and though you tried to respond, he wasn't finished. "It's hard to believe how loyal you are. You didn't have to do any of this, you didn't have to help me. After all, not many people really care about people who are already dead, or..." he glanced to Sac in the distance, "people who weren't ever alive in the first place."

"What are you trying to say?" You asked, feeling a lump in your throat.

"I think," his voice grew to a whisper, "I think I'm in love with you."

You couldn't breath. Were you moving? Was your heart still even beating? It certainly didn't feel like it – no, it felt more like someone had just blocked out every single one of your senses. You were no longer aware of the sand beneath you, the ocean beside you, the warmth off his skin, it all dissipated. No, no, this couldn't be happening; God, you'd wanted so badly for him to like you again from that time that felt so long ago. Now you couldn't think of anything worse than him liking you, especially in this way. There was no room for love on this venture, you knew that, and now he loved you. That would not help you in the underworld. You couldn't have him trying to protect you too fiercely, you couldn't have him in that way, even if you wanted nothing more than that. There were more important things to focus on than a single emotion.

He was still looking at you, eyes glittering with tears ready to brim and keep like dew on his eyelashes.

"I..."

Would you have to lie? Couldn't you just say you felt the same, but that you wouldn't condone any action taken off that feeling as anything distracting could fail the mission? Or would a simple lie, a simple, heartbreaking lie force him to think of nothing else but the mission?

What would help?

What could you say?

_Just don't answer_, a voice whispered at the back of your head, the only advice you felt as though you could physically handle.

Clearing your throat, you stared off at the dead sunset, the first stars appearing in the night sky.

"We have things to do," you said in a small voice, the words forced from your thoughts into fruition.

"I know," he mumbled, the warmth of his fingers intertwined with yours leaving, and with that all touch ceased.

You closed your eyes tight. It was the only way. You couldn't trust yourself or him to stay on track, you would not risk such an ancient artifact on your affections for one person, you would not let go of magic for one person, even if it was him. Him – well, he meant the world to you, but he didn't mean the world to everyone. Just you, and that was why what you felt didn't matter.

There were more important things than you and him.


	12. The Coffin Texts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Letters let on more than one would think.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> most of the research in this is accurate. I had to change a few things but it's definitely still readable. enjoy

Another day at the library, another day spent listlessly going through artifacts that at any other time you would've found endlessly interesting. Repetition and sheer multitude had been clawing away at your mind, and for the first time you yearned for some headphones, _something_ to make everything pass by more smoothly. In the very least Ahk wasn't quite so worried anymore – all three of you were slowly getting used to the idea of entering Duat. The thought of it alone made you terrified, but that was natural, and you would have to get over yourself.

Grey light shined through the windows, the dreary and cloudy day a damper on Sac's mood. She sat across the room from you and Ahk, a plain look upon her face as she scanned across the maps from Egypt, her cheek leant against her palm. Ahk continued with the manuscripts of temple walls, and you continued with Roman letters. You'd have to get somewhere eventually.

There were times, of course, where you felt as though maybe you made a mistake. Maybe the answers weren't in the Vatican – fortunately, Ahk was always there to say that if the answer wasn't there, where could it be? He kept you grounded in that sense, as you kept him grounded, and Sac made sure neither of you got too far into what didn't matter.

Scanning over the Latin texts, you felt your eyelids droop. You'd always held a sort of contempt for Rome, mostly because of their overtaking of Egypt, but also due to all their gods. Not quite as annoying as Greek gods (you hated Zeus), but annoying nonetheless. To be fair, you hated Ra too – he seemed like a smug bastard you would hate to meet. In the beginnings of your interest in Egypt you could calm yourself in the knowledge that you'd never actually meet Ra, what with him being a God that was definitely fictional, at least at the time. Now you had to rid of that comfort, and that hate for him. None of it would help you in Duat.

Glancing up at Ahk who was fully absorbed in his readings, you wondered if going into Duat was even a necessity. None of you had any idea where Anubis was after you lost the trail. Still, it was better to be mentally prepared for a journey you wouldn't take than to be horrified by a journey you would have to.

_Tick. Tick. Tick._

There weren't actually any clocks indoors, only the incessant ticking your mind refused to stop counting. The only marker to the passage of time was the church bells that rang like sirens marking the hours. Sac thought they were beautiful, the way you could hear their echo from across the city. Ahk disliked them greatly, saying it was far too loud for him to concentrate, and that he preferred they didn't ring them at all. You were just annoyed.

As usual, silence. Silence all around you, silence while you read about the different ways Egyptians handled medicine, a plethora of things you already knew. You also knew that letters hid information in them, things that the writer isn't ever aware of. Group numbers, burial chambers, hints and pieces of a puzzle people have spent hundreds of years decoding, people like _you_. You knew how to read letters. You knew how to decode them. There was no one better for this job, and you realized that on your first day.

You continued down the long line of letters, skimming for any mention of death or burial, which was a little difficult since the letter subjects _were_ about war, which generated a fair amount of deaths. So far, only death mentions, soldiers who died and those who went missing. Numbers, calculations of battle plans – you skimmed past those as well.

As you read past the lines in a bored haze, one word caught your eye, making your breath halt and stutter.

Duat.

Another name for the Egyptian underworld. In a hushed voice you beckoned Ahk over, who was followed by Sac noticing your huddle over the paper.

"There are a great many things these Egyptian people fear, among them the land of Duat. It is a funny thing to see, to think of, as these peoples are obsessed with death, an occult that sickens both me and my men," you read, internally grimacing at his thoughts on them. You could feel the animosity coming like waves off of Ahk. "I have not taken a good deal of time answering my questions about their religion, or their culture. Too much absorption on a subject you are meant to conquer can lead to fallacy in decisions. Yet still I find myself learning things – things that, in any other case, I would block out of my mind. These people, though, they have... interesting, if you could call it that, beliefs.

"One lives on after death in a way not too unlike we do – they come to be judged by their many Gods, and if one is worthy, they enter what is called the 'field of reeds.' If they do not pass their test, a test I am not yet familiar with, their entirety, everything they are, soul and body is consumed by a great beast who has a hunger lust for human heart."

"That is not true," Ahk said, looking rather offended.

"It is a little true," you said. "I mean, Ahemait _is_ a beast, and she does technically eat hearts."

"Well... yes, but she does it as a job," he said uncertainly.

"Can we debate this later? I'd like to get through this," Sac interrupted, bringing your attention back to the long letter in your hands.

"Alright. Where were we, um... hunger lust for human heart. The great divide between the two of our civilizations rests in not only our religion, but our afterlife – we as a people are aware of the dangers of gods, we do not go seeking for them. We worship and that is it; we hold no desire – at least those of us who have retained our sanity – to meet them. Egyptians, though, they have this _yearning_ for knowledge, but they do not use it to further their society. What I have observed is that they calculate just enough to keep themselves alive, move forward just enough to live comfortably but never progress. Perhaps it is their obsession with death that has put a halter on reality. I have no doubt that if they put more time into their weaponry, simply putting in a little money and time for training soldiers and inventing ways to fight and live in a more gross comfort, we would be an equal match. I am glad they do not know much."

"Mother of Gods, how long is this damn letter?" Ahk said, interrupting you again. Pulling on the end of it, you unravelled it further, exposing what had to be a couple more feet of texts. He groaned, sitting down beside you and relaxing into his seat. Sac did the same, and the both of them grew comfortable, ready for you to continue your translations.

"As mentioned before, they have a deep connection with death, something that has disturbed me and continues to do so. There are, or they claim there are, specific entrances into Duat, places where the veil is thin – in the very least, that is what I imagine. I have not bothered to ask and I assume you may recall why - guys," you turned to them, "_this_ is what we're looking for. We found it!"

Relief spread across all your faces, a breath you'd been holding too long finally set free. You found it, all those days of searching were gone, you had your entrance to Duat, you could find Anubis before he got there and you could follow him in. _So close_.

"Keep reading," Ahk insisted, excitement lacing his tone as he pointed frantically back at the paper. In a rush the three of you turned back to the paper.

"Imagine an entrance through your grave directly into the underworld – a firm entrance, something you can see even in life. A horrifying thought. I myself am glad we do not have such customs, what with the monsters in our underworld, we would not fare well should they escape," you continued, and from there the subject changed.

"We need to find the next one this man wrote," Ahk said, beginning to sift through your stacks of scrolls, all piled in a mess on the table. Sac joined him as you rolled up the letter you held, tucking it away before going through the letters as well. As the three of you searched, you informed them on how the dates are read, aiding your search through the parchment. Pulling a scroll from the top of a stack, you unrolled it to find the nearest date yet.

"Here," you said, sitting back down on the bench, ready to read again. Your friends resumed their huddle, and began looking for the first mention of Duat. "If you recall from my last letter," you began after finding it, "I mentioned an entrance to a place they call Duat. Recently a battalion of my men invaded a sort of temple, something that acts as both a place of worship and offerings as much as it does a grave. It is another mix of theirs that unsettles me. That is, however, part of this job I have decided to uphold. As my leader for that battalion says, there were a great many people there in an attempt to seal us out. But my men pushed forward, heedless of their warnings – according to an escaped man, they spoke of traps and doors leading into hellish places. I can only assume this is the Duat they speak of. My men pushed forward into this massive pyramid structure, the lot of them are still lost inside, losing their minds by the time you receive this letter. We have made attempts to rescue them but none have succeeded."

"So that's it then? The door to Duat is in the pyramids, of _course_ it is, why didn't I think of it?" Ahk said, running his hand through his hair as a wide grin came across him. You laughed incredulously, almost unbelieving of what you'd just read – you had the answer, the answer was in your hands.

"I can't believe we found it," Sac said in a breath, patting your shoulder.

"That's it then? We go to Egypt?" You asked them, turning to each to gauge their reaction. Neither seemed adverse to the idea – Ahk certainly didn't, and you wouldn't mind excavating Egyptian sites no one's seen before. God, you'd pay to do that.

"I am absolutely willing to go to Egypt," Ahk informed you, pulling a laugh out of you.

"We know _you_ are. General consensus is yes, right?" You said, turning to Sac, who nodded eagerly. "Wait, wait -" you said, pausing as a memory from school reappeared fresh in your mind. "I think there's maps of Duat."

"Seriously?! Who even – you know what, never mind, I'm just glad they exist," Ahk said with a deep sigh, sitting down beside you as you pulled out your phone, typing 'map of duat' in your web browser.

A good lot of fictional maps popped up, precise but obvious lies. It didn't bother you too much, you knew how to surf through them, but it did manage to annoy Ahk. His logic was that his afterlife shouldn't be reduced to a simple game, which was fair enough. It'd probably be more taboo if the Egyptian religion was actually still alive.

"Here it is, the book of the dead and the coffin texts. These were written after your death," you said, a little fun fact to explain to Ahk why he wasn't aware of their existence. Scrolling down the many options, you found that most offers for the book of the dead required actual pay, something you didn't have the time or patience for. "For fucks sake," you groaned, "they won't give me the damn book."

"Maybe it's here?" Sac suggested, a fair enough thought, but you couldn't waste time translating all that. Egyptian writing was, if nothing, fickle.

"I don't know, but here's an excerpt from it," you said, scrolling down again. "What is known from the Duat is principally from funerary texts... each of these documents fulfilled a different purpose and gave a different conception of Duat. Different texts were inconsistent... there are realistic features like rivers, islands, fields, lakes, mounds and caverns, but there were also fantastic lakes of fire, walls of iron and trees of turquoise."

"Sounds interesting," Sac said with a shrug.

"In the Book of Two Ways, one of the Coffin Texts, there is even a map-like image of the Duat – we need to get to that," you said, shutting your phone off and tucking it in your pocket.

"Is the Book of Two Ways on your square?" Ahk asked, following you when you stood.

"It's called a phone, and no. I'd have to buy it and have it shipped and that'd take way too much time, since we already have answers and all that... I know I've read the Coffin Texts before, at least some of them," you said, recalling your time at university. Decoding and translating texts was a popular exercise among the teachers. "One second," you said as you pulled out your phone. Reaching back, you took a photo of the Roman letters, just in case.

"This map – is it exact? Or is it more of a concept," Sac asked as the three of you began putting all the letters and scripts back.

"Unfortunately it's more of a guide, to help the deceased navigate Duat, but it'll be helpful in that regard. Won't lead us directly to Anubis or whatever, but it'll help us know what to expect and where," you answered absently, reciting information you learned years ago.

"Still doesn't help on how exactly we'll get our hands on it," Ahk grumbled, too caught up in his thoughts.

"We just need to visit an Egyptian museum. The Coffin Texts are called coffin texts for a reason," you said with a wink, a vague answer that pleased no one but yourself.

You led the two of them out of the library, hailing a taxi on the nearest street you could find. Speaking in a hushed voice, you told him where to go, before sitting down in the middle seat between Ahk and Sac. Multiple times over the short, traffic-filled drive they tried to pry the answer from you. You remained stoic, saying it'd be better to tell them when you got there, which you did.

Not that it really mattered what you said – the second Ahk saw the black quartz sphinx, the human head sitting grand upon its shoulders, he knew where you were. A tribute to Egypt, one that Sac couldn't recognize. Neither of you faulted her for that – she was the only one in the group without expertise on Egyptian civilization.

Leading them into the museum, you took one look at the directory before heading off in the direction of the tombs. Passing through several halls that sparked your interest, you tried to keep on task, knowing that the end goal was ultimately more important, and far more interesting than ancient farming techniques and weather patterns. Looking behind you, both of them were in awe – Sac had no idea what to expect from Egyptian culture, how advanced they were for how long ago it was, and Ahk; Ahk was near tears. The only thing connecting him to his old world was his tablet, which was lost, and his sarcophagus that had acted as a prison for thousands of years. It must’ve been overwhelming for him, to see what was once so beautiful in scraps and shambles.

Eventually you reached a room filled with unopened sarcophagi, images of senseless hieroglyphs painting the museum walls. Going through the procession of mummies, you went through the ages, from the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt to the first intermediate period, sailing smoothly into the Middle Kingdom, a golden age that followed Narmer's example.

"This is what followed me?" Ahk asked in a whisper, staring up at the golden death mask of a man named Unas.

"A lot can happen in thousands of years. Your civilization made quite the impact on both the ancient and modern world," you said, hoping it would assure him. It did, in a way – he turned to you with a weak smile, and followed your way once again.

Behind a clear glass case, you found a wooden coffin, the inside ripe with texts. All along the sides hieroglyphs centuries old rotted away, hanging above the intricate drawing of a map at the bottom.

"There we are," you said quietly, making sure no one around you was listening, which wasn't hard since the only person there was a security guard who was looking at her phone. Sneaking your phone out of your pocket, you made to snap a photo.

"Hey, no photography," the security guard said from across the room, promptly returning to her own phone. Rolling your eyes, you turned back to the coffin, making sure the flash was off your phone before taking a photo.

"Why no photos?" Sac asked as the three of you hurried out, Ahk lagging behind you as he stared at the artifacts.

"Flash photos can make the paintings fade," you explained, taking both their hands and pulling them out of the museum and into daylight.

Outside, the three of you crammed into a tiny group, looking over the photo you took. While definitely faded, the map was readable and thus useful.

"Today is what I would categorize as a massive success," you said with a proud grin.

"All thanks to you," Ahk said, wrapping his arm around your shoulders.

"This whole excursion is a group effort," you reminded him as you hailed another taxi, ready to relax for the rest of the day. You could get tickets to Egypt later.

Equal parts terrified and excited, you held your friend's hands, and celebrated a massive success.


	13. The Ruins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes what you expect is not what you are given.

Using the plans from the last time you'd flown, the three of you arrived at the airport near sunset, ready to take off on a much shorter trip, a fact that acted as a small comfort for Ahk and Sac. Out of the two of them, Ahk was definitely the most excited – it was plain to see, the way he jumped and grinned all the way through airport security, even when they pulled him 'randomly' aside. You didn't have the heart to tell him it wasn't because he was special; it was probably because he wasn't white-passing.

The plane you boarded was a great deal smaller than the Air Canada one, with a single hallway and four seats in each row. You and Sac were seated next to each other with Ahk across the walkway from you. He sat next to a small child who probably shouldn't've been flying alone, but you didn't say anything. With all of you comfortable in your chairs, your bags underneath the plane or in the overhead bins, Sac leaned toward you and asked a question.

"Where are we going again?" She asked after you'd told them _several_ times where you were going.

"Cairo. It's a city in Egypt near some of the bigger pyramids. Pyramids are where Pharaohs are buried, did I tell you that already?"

"I feel as though you did, but I don't remember," she said softly, gripping the armrest as the plane began moving from port.

"Well, anyway. Pyramids are graves, we'll have to get into an unopened one which, above all difficulty, is incredibly illegal," you muttered, mostly assuring yourself of the facts you knew. She still nodded absently, gripping the chair tighter when the plane jerked forward but did not take off.

Across the aisle Ahk had his eyes shut tightly, his knuckles white from an intense grip on his armrest, and his breathing uneven. You nudged Sac, who noticed and made an attempt to comfort him.

In the quietest voice you could manage while still making sure he could hear you, you said, "this is a much shorter flight. We'll be alright."

The plane began to speed down the runway, and much like last time both of them held an iron grip on the seats. As the front wheels began lifting off the ground, Ahk bit into the inside of his cheek, eyes shut as tight as possible while Sac tried to maintain a resemblance of composure.

With the flight being much shorter, there were no meals, but there were complimentary drinks and a few snacks, which you took advantage of. McPhee had offered to pay for the flight – at first you declined, but with one look at your checking balance it suddenly became a necessity that he paid. Apparently Larry helped as well, and the both of them wished your trio a safe flight, which was followed promptly by Ahk telling them 'we have no say in the matter.' As you chewed on the pretzels, you felt a bit of resentment towards yourself. If you'd just asked McPhee to pay for the flight from Quebec to Rome you would've saved so much money.

Three hours later and the plane landed, an experience that Ahk began enjoying, something you’d akin to a rollercoaster ride. Sac on the other hand, she didn't have that great of a time. With a smaller plane the rocky parts of the air become much more noticeable, and the swaying back and forth and up and down, that sickened her. Fortunately no one vomited that time, and the three of you exited the plane in a safe manner.

"So... what language is everyone speaking here?" Sac asked as you went to get your bags from the pickup area.

"Arabic. It's a general language of the Middle East," you answered, your attention still on the conveyor belt filled with bags that didn't belong to you.

A couple, both in suits, passed by you speaking Arabic. You actually did speak Arabic, fortunately – just very, very little compared to the actual complexity of the language. In fact the only reason you had any knowledge of it was due to your excursions into Egypt. Getting around the modern cities would've been made twice, or perhaps thrice as hard, so you were forced to add Arabic to your array of languages.

Ahk was side eyeing everyone, glancing at every passerby who spoke Arabic and looking rather red in the face. As Sac went to grab her bag when she found it, you approached Ahk, wondering what was wrong.

"Everything alright?" You asked, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"I don't understand what they're saying," he mumbled very quietly, his shoulders pulled up to his ears as he tried to hide away from the world, making himself as small as possible.

"That's okay," you spoke, keeping your voice low as you wrapped your arms around his waist, pulling him into a tight hug. "They can't speak your language either."

"Yes," he murmured, hugging you back. "I suppose you're right."

You left it that for the time being, collecting the rest of your baggage and hailing a taxi, directing the driver to a hotel you'd reserved earlier. As usual you sat between them, squished in the backseat till you reached the towering building of your hotel.

In large letters above the entrance, the hotel name sat, glowing in the budding daylight. _Steigenberger Hotel_, it said. It was a much nicer hotel than the one you had in Rome, and certainly quite a bit cheaper, pricing around $50 a night for your room (same as last time, one queen bed and one pull out), while the last one had been around $100 a night. Once fully checked in, the three of you made your way to your room.

Opening the door, you found a large, white bed with red accents sitting against the wall, flanked once more by small night stands on either side. Opposite the bed was a wall with two open archways into it, allowing you to see easily into the other room. Going past the television between the arches, you found the couch, which was a large, square one, much like the ones rich families had. Beside that was the desk, which as usual had a pen and notepad to use at your leisure, a lamp similar to the ones on the night stands sitting beside it. To the left of the desk was the door to the bathroom, with white tiles shimmering in the light you turned on. A pristine mirror showed your reflection and the reflections of Ahk behind you, as well as Sac, who was currently unpacking her luggage. The window stretched from beside the bed to beside the couch in the other room, dull grey curtains half-covering the view outside. You had a view of both the city, the lights shimmering in the dawn, and the pool below you, that glowed blue by the lights in the water.

It wasn't fantastically decorated, not like the one in Italy, but it was a fair share larger and much less crowded with its' own architecture. Like Americans, they had a love for simplicity.

Checking your phone, you said, "I have a feeling it's going to be hot tomorrow. We'll probably want to sell our clothes again."

"I did notice that. It's very warm here even in winter," Sac said thoughtfully, sitting down on the couch, hugging a large, red pillow.

"Yes, well, we can worry about that in the morning. Who's taking the couch?"

Sac ended up with the couch, leaving you and Ahk in the bed, him facing you as he snored softly. You stayed awake a good deal longer than you should've, finding little ease at the thought of your journey ending. There were still so many things to do, so many exciting and dangerous adventures – if you could leave now, if you could break that promise free of guilt, would you? Would you even be able to return to who you were, what you did before all this?

Closing your eyes, you took a deep breath, reopening them to look at Ahk one last time before you slept.

_Things will probably change_, you thought, beginning to slip off, _but that isn't always a bad thing._

As expected, the afternoon was warm, ranging somewhere in the 80's in Fahrenheit. You'd gotten somewhere around six or seven hours of sleep, which would have to do, as shopping was a much easier task in the daytime, rather than the night where most places were closed. While Cairo was still technically a large city with a massive population, the streets were relatively barren compared to New York City. Ahk and Sac noticed nothing, mostly intent on finding clothes that would fit them, and after a little while you joined them. The many shops of the city gave a variety of options, different styles and colors that the three of you spent a good deal of time deciding upon. It was clarified early on that Sac would probably have to wear a scarf over her head, and she showed no aversion to that, a reaction that had you breathing relief. The three of you would have a hell of a time trying to blend in if she didn't have some form of head coverage.

She ended up finding a large, turquoise jacket that reached down to her knees, the sleeves wrapped fittingly around her arms and wrists. Beneath that she wore a dress decorated intricately in earthy colors, contrasted only by the black straps of her bag. She wore pants as well, ones that were rather baggy and loose around her ankles.

While most of her clothes were loose on her, Ahk had much tighter clothes, a good contrast from what he wore in Canada and Italy. He kept the scarf from that time, using it as a turban atop his head, paired with a tight, black shirt that carried balloon sleeves till the middle of his forearm, where tight wristbands built into the shirt prevented it from falling. Paired with the backpack he wore, he looked quite a lot like a school kid. His clothes were easy enough to recycle, shown by his scarf and the pants he kept, tucked into his large boots.

You traded your winter jacket in for a long, collarless jacket that reached to around your knees, with large sleeves that gaped around your wrists. The buttons keeping it together were the only interesting part of them. You managed to find new pants that fit, loose but firm, with your shirt below the jacket tucked into the waist, and the ends of the pants clear cut and sharp.

With the major changes to your wardrobe complete, the three of you felt much more comfortable fitting in, and not quite as warm as you were before. The turban on your head was something you'd worn before, an item that looked like it wouldn't work but somehow it did.

"(Y/N), (Y/N)," Ahk said, tugging at your arm. "Do you think we could visit my grave?"

"Um," you hesitated, forgetting where exactly he was found, "probably not. It's a bit of a drive to where Memphis was."

"Anywhere else then?" He asked excitedly, still tugging on your arm and grinning that brilliant smile.

"Yeah, we could do that," you said with a small smile, your voice quiet as you remembered that_ he's never seen what his cities have come to be._

Back in the hotel room, readying for a little excursion to the nearest pyramid, you pulled him aside to speak with him in private.

"Ahk, I know you're excited. I am too, but you have to keep in mind that it has been around 4,000 years since you've been here. A lot has changed," you warned him. While you weren't sure as to what he was expecting, it was better to be prepared for the worst.

"I'll be fine, don't worry," he said, still smiling. You pat his shoulder, trying your best to match his energy despite having a sick feeling boiling in your stomach, ready for him to be horrified.

It wasn't as though the monuments were gone entirely, it wasn't that someone destroyed what once was and built something new and 'better' on top of it, it was simply that time wears away at everything and everyone. Time commits a type of crime no other thing can, and it's something every being loathes to face. Not only that, but looters were all too common between the fall of Egypt and the modern era, as well as all the intermediate periods in Egypt's long and rich history.

Catching a tourist bus, you tightened your turban, the long end of it sitting on your lap as you situated yourself. Once again the three of you sat at the end of the bus, heading towards the pyramid you would eventually sneak into.

Ahk hadn't actually told you to go to any specific pyramid – he continued to not do so, instead prattling off facts about his life and about Egypt, telling you how the land used to look and how tall the palace pillars were. You already knew that, but Ahk didn't know you knew, so you let him be excited. Besides, Sac knew close to nothing about Egypt and she could learn a lot from him.

Pulling tight at your satchel, you watched as the city landscape turned to desert. Pure, deserted wasteland, with tiny plants trying their best to get by. You'd seen all this before, and at the time you were delighted to see it, even though it looked nothing like how it did thousands of years ago. All that mattered was that you were where the people you studied so intensely lived, you were finally in their spirit's presence. That feeling changed, sunk deep into you and hid as a much worse feeling came out – shame and embarrassment, curling around your tightened fingers and filling up your head with horrid thoughts. Your anxious thoughts were confirmed all too quickly when Ahk's face fell when the landscape showed little to no trees, the river having seceded far away from the temples and pyramids. Scattered along the bus route were bricks and pillars, places that once were hot spots for intellectual conversations and socialization. All of that, all turned to waste, everything Ahk knew looted and deserted.

His home no longer stood, he knew that now, looking out the bus window with a great confusion and teary eyes – if this was what had happened to Giza, it had to have happened to Memphis as well, along with Dashur, Abydos, and Thebes. Every great city he knew levelled to nothing more than dust and eroded rocks.

He reached for your hand, squeezing it tight when you laced your fingers together. Your little row in the back became deathly quiet, the bus stuttering to a halt not a moment later, the doors hissing open. Still keeping his hold on you, he stood and made his way to the front. Sac followed after, watching the both of you carefully, as though any wrong move would break Ahk into tears.

In the crowd of white tourists wearing too much sunscreen, he stared up at the eroded pyramid, the surrounding bricks that fell of it, the pillars that once stood in vibrant colors. He stood and stared unmoving, which caught looks from tourists that you quickly scowled at. That seemed to scare them away, and allowed for him to find peace, or some kind of comfort as he stared forlorn at his peoples ruined creation.

"I'm sorry," you murmured softly, taking a small step closer to him till your shoulders brushed. Sac came up on his other side, wrapping her arm around his waist and leaning into him, a weight he easily accepted.

"I want to go home," he whispered, his voice cracking as he continued staring ahead. "Back to the museum."

"We'll get there soon," you assured him.

For the remainder of the evening you let him rest in the bed, the sheets and blankets tucked tight beneath the mattress as he lay on top of all of them, eyes open as he hugged a large, white pillow. You and Sac passed the time by graphing out the various maps made of the pyramids, certain entrances and secret passageways only recently discovered. The paper you'd gotten earlier proved to be helpful as you drew out the maps, a precaution in case your phone died which, thinking about all the traps and mazes in the pyramid, it probably would. You went through checklists as well – food accessibility, water, various things like that. Hopefully you could find water and food in Duat, or hopefully you wouldn't need to since it technically _was_ the land of the dead, but that was only an assumption of a hypothesis. Using the math you swore in school you'd never use, you catalogued how much water and food you'd need, and some for Ahk in case he suddenly got hungry, which happened every now and then.

In the evening you approached Ahk, who still had his eyes open and red, kneeling down in front of him.

"We're going over the pyramid structures, we could use your expertise if you feel like it," you offered quietly, letting him reach for you and brush your hair off your face.

"I suppose I can't lay here forever," he said, his voice rough from crying.

"You can rest a little longer if you'd like?"

"No," he said with a grunt as he sat up, "I should get up. Dwelling on it has done me no good."

"Alright," you murmured, helping him to his feet and leading him over to the couch, where your plans were laid out in paper atop the coffee table.

Over the course of the nighttime he informed you on a great many things, on empty chambers that were actually empty, places where the floor gave away for great treasures and where it gave way for death. He even recalled his brother saying that in his tomb, he would make a pit full of alligators, before being quickly reminded by Ahk that the alligators would not last long. Beyond that, you learned quite a lot about the construction of the pyramids, their many uses and their detriment to the economy. This, this was what you loved, learning secrets of a people long dead, _that_ was beauty, and with Ahk beside you, it was heaven.


	14. The Summoning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The last resort.

With the day and night spent withering away in your hotel room, the plans of the pyramid in front of you, you were fully ready to drift off. According to Sac you'd actually already done that twice or so, for five or ten minutes each time. As tired as you were, the work paid off, and as much of the pyramids as possible was mapped, the cut off and empty chambers and halls still blank spots on your large parchment.

Leaning back against the soft pillows of the couch, you fell asleep as Ahk and Sac continued with their revisions.

* * *

"You can't account for all the traps though, can you?" Sac said, pointing at the many empty halls with vague scratches, most of them saying 'various traps.'

"No, only the architects can. God, if we had Unas this would be so easy," Ahk grumbled, hiding his head in his hands. "He was one of our chief architects."

"Can you recall any of the traps then?"

"Maybe," he said, and the two of them spent the entirety of your nap thinking of different traps a man like Unas would make.

When at last you awoke, the sun was somewhere past high noon, shining too bright into your eyes through the open windows. Shuffling slowly, you went to close the shades before sitting back down on the couch. A long sigh left you as you examined their work.

"What's this?" You asked, your voice rough from sleep as you pointed at a long list near the corner of your paper.

"Ideas on what types of traps there could be," Ahk said.

"You shouldn't be too worried about that," you said with a yawn. "The most worrying part is the maze."

"Well, that's all mapped, isn't it?" Sac asked, a valid enough question from her point of view, but you knew better.

"What historians have found so far is mapped. The door to Duat, it has to be in an untouched chamber, which are really hard to find since everything's been blown over with sand and rocks, and... all that stuff. Anyway – our best bet in this situation is Ahk. He's the only one alive that actually has an inkling as to what Egyptians were thinking when they built these pyramids. Right, Ahk?"

"Um, pyramids were a bit, well, past my time, but I can assure you the pyramids aren't actually built to keep people out. They're just overdone graves. I don't know, but do you know who built it? It might help if I know them."

"Oh, yeah, let's see, um... the one we're currently looking at, that was built by Khufu," you said. Immediately Ahk's eyes widened in surprise. "Do you know him?"

"Yes, he's my brother! My younger brother, oh I - wow. We're going to invade my brothers' grave. I didn't really see that happening at any point in this venture," he said, his eyes still wide as he ran a hand through his hair.

"What was he like? That might help us discern how he would've built his tomb," Sac said, eager to ask and receive an answer.

"When I knew him, he was a kind person. Had a lot of potential, but... if I had to guess, he probably grew up to be, uh... precise, and logical, as well as fair. My parents were sure to teach him of that after the mess with Kahmunrah."

"So that rules out traps and mazes that would've brought harm to the workers, as well as anything overzealous and dramatic. Wonderful," you said with a smile, feeling far too bright to be sitting next to a man having an existential crisis about his younger brother. You crossed out a few of the more over-the-top traps and ideas from the list.

"But he was strategic, right?" Sac asked, getting a nod from Ahk. "That means he probably ensured his real tomb was never found. A person like that doesn't like grave robbing, probably."

"That's true, but he might not've thought that grave robbing would be a thing in the future. It's not like it was a common practice to grave-rob fifty or so years after the person died," you pointed out, a contradiction that had the three of you thinking for a while.

You thought well into the afternoon, ordering room service to bring a fruit platter up, something you all enjoyed while pacing. The three of you sat down every now and then, bringing up points that the others hadn't thought of before. Maybe you could wait outside the pyramid's entrance, but there are more doors than just that, ones that are far away and hidden, tunneling beneath the earth to arrive straight into main chambers. Maybe you could hire a guide, but a guide wouldn't understand your mission. Maybe you could go visit a library and do more research, find everything that historians say, but historians are often wrong, and you simply did not have that kind of time on your hands. You were already debating whether or not Anubis reached the door yet, whether or not he was in Duat or still searching, and with those kinds of questions fresh on your mind, there was no time to waste.

"I think our biggest question," you said, splayed on the couch and staring at the ceiling as Sac stood next to the window, staring listlessly out it, "is where the hell is Anubis?"

"That - that's not entirely incorrect. All of this research and such, it doesn't mean anything if Anubis isn't even in there yet," Ahk said, moving from the mirror to sit beside you, looking intently over your map.

"I'm not sure how you think you'll manage to find out. It isn't like you can easily ask him," Sac said, leaning against the thick glass to look at you two. Ahk stopped suddenly, looking at Sac as a large grin spread across his face, his fingers flexing against his knees.

"Yes, we can - just not him, obviously, but we _can_ ask other Gods," he said, his smile turning devious.

"Who? A lot of Gods favor Anubis over humans, you know, since humans pretty much forgot about them," you said, not willing to yet believe answers could be so easily attained, not after all the effort you put in.

"You're forgetting your studies, (Y/N)," he said, leaning closer to you. You sniffed and looked away. "There are Gods that can't lie. It'd break the natural world, and that includes their world as well."

"Oh, well please enlighten me," you said in a joking manner, one that Ahk fortunately appreciated.

"Ma'at."

_Oh, yep,_ you thought,_ that'd do it._

"Ma'at is the order in discord and without her the world runs rampant with liars and chaos, she would never dare break her trust by lying to us," Ahk said, a point all too clear, and one Sac understood. She sat beside you without question, chewing at her lip as she thought over it.

"I feel as though it would be very dangerous, right?" She said, which was a valid worry – Ma'at wouldn't have to worry about withholding the truth if you were just dead.

"Maybe we could summon a different God. You said your father chose Khonshu to enchant the tablet, right?" You asked, thinking that Khonshu would probably favor Ahk and his friends as he did so long ago.

"He would probably be kind, and he'd definitely tell the truth," Ahk said, fidgeting with his fingers, "but he doesn't live in the Duat, he lives in the sky and on the earth. He wouldn't have a clue as to Anubis' whereabouts."

"Shit, you're probably right," you said with a long sigh. All the questions and worries were a heavy weight on the mind, one you were eager to rid of in the presence of any answers.

Flopping back onto the couch, you kept staring at the ceiling the blinding lights above making you shut your eyes. With a stretch and a yawn, you wondered if you could slip back into sleep again, or if you ought to stay awake. You knew you should've stayed awake, you had a lot of expertise on both the ancient and modern world which had proved useful in the past.

"There's another thing too," Ahk said out of nowhere, making you pop open one of your eyes. "Ma'at brings Ahemait with her pretty much everywhere."

"How do you know that?" You asked, sitting up.

"Um... it's just sort of a well known thing, generally accepted as.. as a fact," he stuttered, trying very poorly to explain his knowledge on the subject. You stared at him for a moment before shrugging – he probably knew loads more about the innate nature of his peoples than you ever would.

"Maybe we should flip a coin?" You suggested dully.

"Put our lives on the flip of a coin?" Sac asked, a single eyebrow quirked. That was fair, you thought, since it was technically a matter of life and death, and having a coin flip be your cause of death was a rather lame way to go.

"Do you have a better idea?" You asked in return, sounding far more conceited than you felt. She didn't take offense though, simply letting out a long sigh and burying her face in her hands.

"How's this; we look for the ingredients we need for the spell, and if we can't get them, it's fine. If we can, we do it," Ahk proposed, an idea both you and Sac hesitantly agreed to.

"What kinds of thing do we need?" You asked, sitting up to face him.

"Just a couple of things. Ink, paper, feather, and some wax," he said with a smile.

"Wow. That is a lot simpler than I thought it would be," you said, standing to go put your shoes on. Ahk followed you, wrapping his scarf around his head.

"All we need to do is write her name in hieroglyphs on the paper with the ink and feather, then blur it with the wax," he said as the three of you got ready.

As you finished your turban, Sac pulled her hood over her head, and you left the hotel room. The best place to get those sort of things was either a religious shop or a museum gift shop – at first you were set on the museum. You hadn't much of a chance to visit one of them the last time you were in Egypt, what with your actual mission being excavation in a sight in Upper Egypt. But, with a glance to both ticket prices and souvenir prices, you told the taxi driver to drop you off at the nearest religious shop, which wasn't too far down the road. As usual you were crammed between Sac and Ahk, fumbling over each other to get out of the cab fast enough.

"شكرا," you said as you paid the fare, hopping back onto the sidewalk as the man drove away.

Stepping carefully into the dim shop, you noticed immediately a plethora of red, hanging in curtains, blankets, capes, and rugs. While a good deal of the merchandise there was definitely cheap and not entirely authentic, there was a back room (which you were not allowed to enter) filled with old artifacts, genuine weaving, and ceremonial wear. 

The three of you split up, wandering throughout the shop in search of a real feather, liquid ink, and scratch paper. You left the candle shopping to Ahk – he insisted that the candle had to be precise. To be honest you probably already knew what the specifications were, considering actual wax candles weren't in Egypt until much later, and you knew what rushlights were, but you didn't feel like arguing with him about it. You were there to assist him above all else, a Samwise to his Frodo, and that meant listening to him.

Wandering around the aisles and incense-filled air, you found an Egyptian blue vase with long, dark feathers sticking out of it. If you had to guess they could've been peacock feathers, but you were not a bird enthusiast. The feather finding you'd leave up to Sac, she knew nature, and she knew birds, and you were certain she could tell a fake feather from a real one. Instead you focused your efforts on the paper and ink, which would be an easy enough job as long as you didn't try to complicate it.

In a dark corner of the shop lit only by the sunlight shining through sheer, dark purple curtains, you found a variety of small glass vials and bottles, each filled with black liquid. A small note sat before them, reading 'حبر خمسة زجاجة', telling you immediately that you found ink. Not too far from there you found rolls of empty parchments, and as you grabbed one of the rolls, you tucked the ink in your pocket, and headed back into the main area of the store.

There you reconvened with Ahk and Sac, who both had their own ingredients on hand. Ahk with a thin candle that looked quite a lot like a sparkler firework, and Sac with a long, colorful feather much like the one you'd found. Sitting down on the provided cushions, you calculated the cost, and let your reality sink in once more.

Each part of this venture had something strange and dangerous you had to come to terms with – the discovery of Egyptian Gods being real, the threat of starvation, the thought that you'd never find out where Duat was, their fear of flying, your fear of failure, Ahk's affections for you, Sac's close encounters to being discovered as wax, and a good variety of other things. A few of those struck a healthy fear into your heart, but this, _this_ – this was beyond dangerous. This was plain stupid, and you couldn't believe that you were willingly gathering the ingredients and walking up to the counter, paying for them and leaving with a bag full of items to summon a Goddess who could so easily kill you, and probably wanted to.

"We don't have to do this," Ahk reminded you in a quiet voice as the cab took you back to your hotel.

"We said we would. I don't know if there's another option besides giving up and I will not do that."

You swore to it.

Back in the hotel room, you dimmed the lights, helped by the sun setting below the cityscape. Ahk set up the materials on the coffee table in front of the couch while Sac pulled the curtains. You kept by his side, looking up spells on your phone, attempting to familiarize yourself with spells and how they react with the world. Unfortunately most of the search results ended up in Yu-Gi-Oh cards, which were not exactly what you were looking for. When you tired of searching, you turned your attention to the table, where Ahk had finished setting up the ingredients. The lit rushlight hung over a coaster, the dim flame flickering in the still room. Sac made her way over to sit beside you.

With shaky fingers Ahk took the feather, dipping it generously into the ink before quickly moving to the paper, careful not to drip the ink anywhere else. In sanscrit he wrote the name Ma'at, the letters curved and ornate. When he finished he finally took a breath, letting the feather rest in the small bottle of ink as he took the rushlight, letting the flame and oil drip over the letters till it all blurred passed comprehension.

The world seemed to go dark with the last drop, the air thick with a stench you couldn't identify. It was otherworldly enough you couldn't even tell if you enjoyed the scent or hated it – it was simply there, swarming all around you like static, growing into a heavy haze that had you all coughing and hiding away. Ahk covered his mouth and nose, preparing himself for an incantation.

"ı͗mȝḫw, sȝw dı͗r shmȝtı͗, mr shtȝ, di-f prt-hrw n ı͗ – dı͗ ḫrw ḥr nṯr ḏw," he spoke, words you only half recognized. Hieroglyphs weren't full words, not ones you could pronounce despite knowing the pronunciation, made so chiefly by the fact that vowels were almost never included in the words. It was something you disliked immensely, but hearing the words allowed, watching the room turn from silence and static to a hurricane above your head, that was truly fantastic.

As terrified as you were there was that part of you, that part shaped by your professors that adored every bit of it even if it killed you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The spell Ahk uses, I had to translate that! I had to use my handwritten library of hieroglyph words in order to transliterate it into a way all of you can read, and here's the actual translation into english: "Revered one, guardian of sacred order, overseer of secrets, to give a voice offering for Ma'at – give us voice above God's hill."


	15. She Stays Forgotten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ma'at is unnerving, but she has answers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've gotten basically nothing but good feedback on this story but I've seen some stuff online and I feel horrible about it. I feel like it's awful and I'm just ruining what would've been a good storyline and I don't even know if I have the capability to make it better. I'm really sorry everyone. I just feel sick. If you have any ideas on how I could make this better I'm absolutely open to it.

A cacophony of wind blew past your ears, howling and moaning like a man in hell. Objects around the room began to fly, whizzing past your skin and cutting it open, the red blood dripping from the wounds only worsened by the pull of the tornado. With a sudden bang a hole appeared in the middle of the coffee table, leading into a black abyss that pulled every object toward it. Cowering away, you were torn between watching and protecting yourself – a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and you were squeezing your eyes shut. A glow began to emanate from the hole, and a woman rose up, dressed in gold and blue beads, a single feather spouted from the band she wore upon her head. As the wind began to die down, she stood fully on the coffee table, her long black hair finally calming in the stillness of the room, and she spoke.

"I have not heard our language from the mouths of men in many years," she said, her voice echoing and overlapping itself, as though she spoke in many voices and tongues.

"I am -"

"Ahkmenrah," Ma'at said, turning to face Ahk with glowing white eyes. Suddenly she furrowed her brows in anger, approaching him with a gaze that would've petrified you, but he still kept his even breath. "You've been changed, something - something's missing - who edited you?!" She disappeared in a glitch and reappeared in front of him, her hand wrapped tight around his neck. Not cutting off his airflow entirely, but enough to make sure he knew she could, and absolutely would if necessary.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Ahk wheezed out, his fingers clawing at her hand. You would've reached forward, done anything to help him, fight Ma'at yourself if you had to, but you were stuck in place, just like Sac.

"You," she said with such a venom that the very air around you constricted, full of her vice and hatred. If this was Ma'at, would you even survive a friendly encounter with Anubis?

Keeping Ahk still against the couch, she pressed her thumb against his forehead, and his body went limp. You choked on your breath, still stuck in place. Against your will she kept you right where you sat, unable to help as her glowing eyes met his, his mouth going slack when a glow began to emanate from his eyes. The two of them stayed like that for a little while before Ma'at ripped her hands away from him, ceasing all touch as she stood tall and still. Ahk let out a gasp for breath, falling from the couch and coughing, trying to hack up whatever she'd done to him.

"_They_ edited you, didn't they?" She said in a soft voice, almost incredulous as she stared at Ahk.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Ahk whispered, his voice still hoarse and rough, like he'd swallowed spoonfuls of gravel.

"I'm assuming you still recall Mahjur, yes?"

Ahk nodded.

"Of course. They're selfish enough that they wouldn't make you forget entirely, but they'd erase everything else... funny, how a human-raised God thinks," Ma'at said, almost smiling at the end, but she didn't. You on the other hand, much like Sac, stayed in total and utter confusion, listening carefully to the words in hopes that all would be explained.

"What did Mahjur do?" Ahk asked, the first straightforward question he'd made. 

"Your memories of _me_... and of others," she said ominously, her eyes still glowing a stunning white. "You poor child. Mahjur must have gone to great lengths of sacrifice to rid you of the pain from those memories of them."

"You can remove memories?" You asked out of curiosity. It was something very rare to see in real life, and while common in fiction, it was still a surprise to hear it happening to an actual person.

"That is not exactly what Mahjur did. I should've known though," she said, facing Ahk once more, "Mahjur has watched you for so long. You are lucky to have that kind of protection and love, especially after the hardships you have endured."

"I... I'm sorry, I'm still incredibly confused. I've met you before?" Ahk said, stuttering through the sentence as he tried to get it out.

"I can answer that question, or I can answer the question you have summoned me to answer. When humans incurred me a long while ago, I did not offer them doubt, and I did not offer them safety. I killed them," Ma'at said in a cool voice, as though that was the simplest solution. "I killed them for thinking they could go above natural order to receive answers, but you... I know you, I have seen your heart and weighed it against every sin, and I have seen how those you love yearn to love you better. I see all," she said quietly, the blinding glow around her dimming, "and for your kindness I grant you the answer to one question. Only one."

_Fuck_, you thought, staring at Ahk as he registered what he had to do. You wouldn't blame him too badly if he chose to know what this Mahjur did, what happened to him, how he knew Ma'at – that was something close to his heart. It would've been close to yours, too, had you been in his position. But you let him contemplate, let him choose, and you prayed to high heaven that whatever he chose ended up being the right way.

At last he said, "there are more important things than my history and the personal questions I have. (Y/N) taught me that, that form of humility, and they've given up so much," he turned to look at you, "so much to keep us alive when they've only known us for a few months. It'd be foolish to throw all that away." He turned back to Ma'at, a determined resolve in his eye, and said, "I want to know where Anubis is."

"Very well," she said, tilting her head upwards.

A burst of light came from her, drowning out all your senses till the ringing faded, the buzz left your skin, and you found yourself in a black and white world, surrounded by trees. Ahk stood beside you along with Sac, and Ma'at stood with you as well. She was probably a foot or two taller than you, something you hadn't noticed until just then, staring up at her black and white face. Somehow, she did look a little like the hieroglyphic drawings of her. Staring off into the trees, you followed her unmoving gaze to a jackal, bare of hair and entirely black, running through the forest with great speed. When the jackal passed you, wind blowing against your body, Ma'at spoke.

"He kept safe and took no chances. He found the leyline far before you," she said, and the scenery switched to surround the jackal once more, broad daylight shining against you as you watched the jackal turn to a fully fleshed man, holding the golden tablet in his grasp.

"So he _was_ looking for the ley line," Sac murmured, looking rather upset.

"He used it to travel, as only spirits and Gods can," she said as the man, Anubis, took a step forward, his body turning to light in an instant, a light that faded into the sky. "He has been in the Duat for months now."

You heard Ahk whisper a tiny 'fuck,' one you would've agreed with had you not been stunned by Ma'at. Yes, you'd been in her presence for a little longer now, but that didn't take away the fact that she was real, and that all you studied was reality. That was a feeling you doubted many people would ever experience.

In a whirl the space around you returned to being the hotel, a breath leaving you as you finally relaxed. Ma'at was not going to kill you (at least not yet), and you were somewhere safe, somewhere close to your destination. As terrifying as the Duat was and would be, it was somehow more terrifying if all your efforts thus far were erased with a single teleportation.

"You called upon me because I speak nothing but truths but you must know I will not lie to Anubis," she said, her voice multiplying as it echoed around the room, the stolen songs of a thousand people used in her words. "He will ask me today as he has asked in the past, where you are and your aim. I will tell him you are seeking him and you will be thankful that neither of us have killed you outright as it is in our power to do so and it is the easier road. Do not forget this, and do not forget me."

She vanished, leaving you in a mess of a room, your hair tangled from her wind and your eyes blinded by her halo. Rubbing at your face, you tried to come to terms with your surroundings and the truth of your fate. The three of you learned what you had to do, but there was no time before like the one now, a time where you so desperately wanted to give up, go home, and be safe for once. Ahk still remained by your side.

You swore to him, and as many times as you doubted your oath you knew tenfold that you would stay beside it.

"I will go alone," Ahk said, breaking the silence Ma'at had left you in.

"Are you fucking serious?" You asked, leaning closer to him as your anger flared. "That's the stupidest idea you've had yet. Duat is a monstrous world and you think one person by themselves is going to make it out alive, against who knows how many Gods Anubis has convinced into protecting the tablet from you?"

"I won't risk your life, either of your lives. You've given up too much for me already," he insisted, his fingers curled tight into his palm.

"That's exactly the point! I've given up too much to let you die the second you step foot in there," you insisted, your tone almost turning to pleading with him.

A new silence encompassed the room as Ahk fell silent. Neither you nor Sac spoke, simply letting him have his time, and hoping he'd come to his senses.

"I don't know if we'll all make it out alive. If I lose you that's my fault," he said quietly, his gaze flickering between you and Sac. "Besides, we need someone here. If things go wrong Larry has to know, along with the rest of them."

The most obvious option you could think of was that you'd stay in the hotel. You were the only one who knew how the modern world worked, and you knew how to use phones, and how to get back to the states. Neither of them knew that, but you also knew a _lot_ about Duat and the monsters there. You were the one who catalogued the maps and monsters, leaving you torn on where to go, and how to help.

"I don't know what to do," you mumbled, hiding your face in your hands.

"I can stay here," Sac offered.

"You don't know how to get home," you said quietly, sparing her a quick glance.

"Then teach me. I know you'd be more useful than I in your underworld," she said, her voice as soft and comforting as it always was. You adored her, not that she knew it, and it'd be okay with you if she stayed and you went with Ahk, if only to keep her safe.

"God... are you sure?" You asked, turning to face her, your eyes still burning with the promise of tears. Not at any one specific thing, either – just tears of distress, wrapped up in an overwhelming decision that rested for the most part all on you. But again, you made a promise, and above all you would follow through with that.

She nodded, and at the same time you felt your heart lift, your thoughts sunk and stewed sickness in your stomach. You would be entering a world of the dead, that was your unchanging fate, and it was all your fault, all of it was your fault.

You stood with a deep breath, reaching for your phone charging next to the outlet in the wall. Unplugging it, you made a note in the Notes app, and showed Sac how to turn on voice recognition, as she couldn't easily read the words you wrote.

"Now you can just tell it what to do," you said, your voice cracking as the thought of death once more invaded your mind. You demonstrated, telling the phone to call your 'overseer' contact, which you quickly changed before McPhee picked up.

"Everything alright over there?" He asked, clearly drowsy from just being woken up.

"Yes, for the most part. I wanted to let you know that Ahk and I will be entering the pyramid soon... Sac will be here though, in case we don't make it back," you told him, feeling resigned to your choices. You hadn't even bothered to fight back that much, none of you had, each of you exhausted beyond belief and spent on helpless worry.

"Right..." you heard his sheets shuffle, "well, the best of luck to you. You've got protection, right?"

"All of us have knives," you said, earning a hum in response.

"Try not to die, alright?"

"Of course doctor," you said, almost laughing as he ended the call. "See?" You said as you turned to Sac, "that's how it works. Oh, um... I better give you a storage of blood."

"Right, I keep forgetting about that," Ahk said, jumping up to get a glass the hotel provided, and bringing it in front of you.

You dug into your nearby bag, pulling out the dagger and setting the blade against your skin. The both of them made to ask you if you needed help, but before they could, you already sliced your skin open, nearly black blood dripping down your arm and falling into the tall glass.

"It's probably going to get dry, so just put water in it if it does that, and keep it in the fridge," you told her, squeezing at the cut as ripples continued falling down your skin. She winced, as Ahk did, but you were used to the feeling, and it wasn't entirely a bad one. You knew better than that, though – it should've felt bad and when it didn't, you kept that to yourself.

You continued squeezing at the cut till the last droplet rolled down your arm, but it wasn't enough. It barely came up to a centimeter, so you made another cut, repeating the same process till five deep cuts lined your forearm, distinct against the scars of previous injuries. Though the blood came up to a good inch, it didn't feel like enough – even as your vision blurred a little, as lightheadedness filled your thoughts, it didn't look like enough.

"(Y/N)," Ahk said softly, pausing you from making another cut by holding your hand, keeping the knife from reaching your skin. "I think that's enough."

"Right," you said, releasing a breath you weren't aware you were holding. "Sorry."

In silence you stood, sheathing your dagger and tucking it back in your bag. There were things you'd need to do in preparation – things you hadn't thought of before, ways to defend yourself. At least Ahk took some martial arts lessons, or something of the sort, and had a variety of ways to both defend and attack. You did not. So you kept your clothes tight, strapped your dagger at your waist and let no cloth become something to be dragged, leaving turbans out of the option. You wouldn't need your jacket either, and your bag would be more of a hindrance than anything. Strapping your shirt together, you wrapped your thin scarf around your waist, tight enough that it would never fall, and tucked your pants into that. With that securely finished, you pulled on your shoes. Ahk followed your example, tucking his tight shirt into his pants, and tucking the ends of his pants into the large boots he'd never exchanged for anything new. 

He had a habit of that, you noticed that a while ago; he did not like change. He did not change his shoes or his scarf, and he kept as many clothes as he could, just as he kept you near him, just as he kept Sac safe.

"Hey, Ahk," you said, feeling distant from yourself, "do you want a new dagger? The one you've got is rather small."

"Do we have the time?" He asked in an equally quiet and somehow equally calm voice.

"Yeah. All the time in the world. I suppose we're running on our own schedule now," you mumbled, and all movement in the room ceased.

It really was up to you now, wasn't it? No deadlines at all, no needs except your own, like becoming an adult all over again, except this time you had close to no support. Ahk didn't really count as support, considering he was in the same situation you were. Sac would not be easy to fall back on. So throughout all of it, it was you, and even if it was always just you, that would be okay.

A cab took you to the nearest weaponry shop, and Ahk chose a long, curved, silver blade that hid well in its' sheath. The two of you didn’t linger there for very long, as the building tension blurred all other thoughts besides that of Duat. The proceeding cab drive off into the desert was starkly quiet compared to the ones you'd taken before – the good bye you bid Sac felt too short, and guilt crept at you when you realized it would be your last interaction for a long while, or your last interaction overall. 

You sat on the left seat, staring out the window as the pyramids came into view, a mirror of how Ahk stared off into the desert. Reaching for him, your fingers intertwined with his. Silence was stifling but he would keep you sane. His touch, his warmth, was that all that mattered? No, but it remained the key to your continued determination, and that would have to do for now.

You paid the cab driver and thanked her, watching as dust kicked up behind the wheels when she turned and left. Turning to Ahk you took his hand once more, looking up at the pyramids, the largest aligned with a bright star hanging in the sky like a second moon. That was Khufu's pyramid, and that was where you were headed.

It was illegal, trespassing at night, but you'd already broken enough laws and watched your friends break enough laws that this seemed tame by comparison. He kept his hand tight in your grip, never breaking it as you found an entrance in the ground, a dark hole you couldn't see the end of.

You looked to each other without word, squeezing your hands together as he nodded. Swallowing thick and clenching your teeth, you promised yourself to never leave his side, even though you'd promised it before. Sometimes duties can calm the mind, the idea that no matter what you have to follow through with something – it gives you an outline, and though your outline meant certain mortal danger, it remained a comfort when you looked into his cold eyes, grey swirling around irises in a celestial dance you'd never noticed before.

There it stood before you, holding your fate, your _life_ in its hands:

The Pyramid.

And you were foolish enough to think that love would save you.


	16. In The Distance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some mysteries die upon their discovery.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> id like to note i have taken some MASSIVE liberties when it comes to the pyramids layout and its contents. I had to because most of the pyramids around have already been fully discovered, and Ahk isn't exactly a real Pharaoh, so I had to place him within a family that already existed in the first place in order to connect his story with the real world

Half holding your breath you descended down the rickety ladder, splinters digging into your fingers the further you went down. Nails and spikes stuck out of the age-old wood, and though you did your best to avoid them in the moonlight, they still made their fair share of cuts against your palm and fingertips. Ahk descended after you, his light steps still raining sand down upon your hands. Neither of you brought any technology, and that meant no flashlights either, which you were beginning to regret when you were presented with the inky blackness of the long, underground hallway, a doorway no one was ever meant to use. Of course, you knew why it was there – for the workers to have safe entrance in and out of the pyramid, and it worked perfectly for you. Tunnels like these had a habit of leading to every chamber in the tombs, or as Ahk liked to call it, the catacombs.

"I cannot believe my younger brother built all this," Ahk said with an air of respect and awe, squinting down the long hall.

"Not he. His workers," you reminded him softly.

"Right."

Grabbing at the rock walls, you found one of the arches holding the tunnel up. You guided your hand along the wood, searching for any old torch you could light, or anything else that would signal where to go. Your eyes would adjust over time, but you'd never be fully able to see in such pitch black air. Thus, as you let splinters poke at your hand as you walked slowly through the tunnel, you found a small metal hook, carrying a mostly-burnt torch in the little overhead area there was. Forcing it off the hook, you held the wood in your hands, wondering how many years it had been stuck there. Could've been very few – some of the archeologists left behind things they didn't need, but it could also have been there for a very, very long time. You weren't sure if you wanted to know.

While you couldn't see most of your surroundings, what you could do was feel them, and you felt the walls drop off into a large room. Ahk stopped behind you when you halted, taking a careful step forward.

Nothing there.

You pressed your foot down into the ground, feeling the rocks and sand crunch beneath your heel, still unable to see if you were in a tomb or a hallway. Ahk came up beside you, his hand on your shoulder as he took the torch from you. The sound of something being dunked into water came from him, and then he handed it back to you, digging into his back pocket.

"Here," he said, pulling out a lighter, the flame flickering so bright you had to squint. In a roar the flame grew, encircling the torch – a look to his side and you found a vat of oil.

"How'd you know that was there?" You asked quietly, staring at him as he stared at the room before you.

"We always keep pots of that before dark chambers, tombs... helps people see," he said, looking up at the ceiling.

The room before you was only a little taller than the hallway you were previously in, and much, much clearer in the very least. There was no more splintered wood holding up the ceiling which was painted delicately in now-faded colors, but the image of the sky was obvious to see. A dark blue background with yellow, five-pointed stars, a face drawn into the blanket strewn across the ceiling; a Goddess by the name of Nuit, who looked down to the floor below you. You checked beneath your feet – there was far too much sand and erosion to prove what was once there, but you knew it had to be her husband, Geb. They were always together despite the fact that Ra ordered them apart. Something about the balance of the world.

"Where to next?" You asked, running your fingers down the dusty walls, the ancient paint faded beneath your fingertips.

"There has to be a door somewhere in here," Ahk said, grunting as he pushed at the alter sitting near the end of the room. "Are you sure we have the right entrance?"

"I believe so," you mumbled, fumbling with your shirt till you forced the straps open.

Setting the torch down in one of the hooks on either side of the doorway, you took your notebook out, filled with the many things you'd learned about Egypt and hieroglyphs, as well as the maps in its pocket, and the outline of the pyramid on the very last page. Ahk came up beside you as you flipped it open, the pages running against your thumb till the book fell open, the sketch of a pyramid on the left side, and the instructions and labels on the right. You spared a quick glance to the drawn compass near the top of the pyramid before mentally calculating which way you were facing when you arrived at the pyramid.

"I think we came in here," you said, pointing to the small dot marked '2', "so we should be here."

"Here, where is that?" Ahk asked after you forgot he couldn't read English.

"Um, we're either in the ascending or descending passage, or at least we should be," you mumbled, scratching at the back of your neck when you felt dust fall on it.

"The room before the locked door," Ahk said in such a tone you would've sworn you were in an adventure movie.

"Ha," you snorted, "you sound like a movie character."

"It's a real thing! A trick that Hemiunu loved, actually. See, what he did – his basic idea was that if you put a room at the end of a long hallway, a room that no matter how grand or poor _looks_ important, often people will think that's all there is. Of course, I'm sure it looked a bit more important back when it was made," Ahk said, an explanation to many unexplained phenomena. Would the Egyptologist community even believe you if you brought it up?

Probably not. Nonetheless, it was nice to have answers of your own, especially ones you could so easily trust.

Ahk left your side, and as he did so you tucked your journal back into your thick shirt, grabbing the torch off the wall to meet him at the other side of the small room. He had gotten on his knees by the time you reached him, using odd angles to look at the cracks and lines. You watched his antics, raising a single brow when he came up to your feet.

"Please move," he said, sounding strained from his posture. Still, you scooted to the side, and he kept going round the altar.

"Ahk, how do you think you're going to find a door?" You asked, giggling at the way he crawled along the floor.

"You never know. Look for cracks, or anything out of place," Ahk told you, the words enunciated by his accent.

He looked a little foolish there on the floor, but there was no one watching, and nothing else to do. Placing the torch back in its spot, you knelt down across the room from him, running your fingers in the space between the floor and wall. Dust gathered on them, along with shale and splinters, but none that hurt you too terribly – still, you switched to blowing away the dust and dirt. No spaces, no cracks, only a tiny hole in the corner.

"Anything?" Ahk asked half out of breath from across the small room. Sitting upright, you turned to look at him, finding him already facing you.

"Just a crack in this corner," you said, gesturing to the hole you found.

He stood, walking the short distance over to stand by you, only to kneel at your side, sticking his finger carelessly in the hole. Your mouth fell open.

"Ahk I don't - that can't be a great habit, sticking your fingers into holes you haven't..." he turned to stare at you, waiting for you to finish your sentence when you trailed off. He pressed his lips tight together, holding back obvious amusement, even when you glared at him. Groaning softly you turned away, letting him do whatever he wanted in regards to the crack.

"Not exactly what I expected from this adventure," you mumbled, crossing your arms.

"What, me being right?"

You turned back to him, a questioning look on your face. Nothing in the room had changed. He just grinned smugly, looking back at the entrance.

Past the dull yellow walls of the ancient room, back in the dirt hallway, a single flame struck from the floor and wall. Your eyes widened at its appearance – had you dropped oil? But Ahk was looking at you as though he was right, and maybe you ought to believe him, considering he would always be a little more of an expert than you. You looked to him, a question in your stare.

"There's a tiny little paddle lever thing, there in that hole. Pulls some strings, cracks two rocks together," he stood up, passing by you with jazz hands. "Magic fire."

"I thought I taught you about friction?" You asked, your mouth open in confusion in awe.

In the next moment you stood, following him as he stepped back into the dirt hallway, kneeling before the flames (which you now noticed numbered two, one at the bottom of each wall), and blowing one out. You came to his height, one of your knees stuck in the rough dirt and the other supporting your chin. He looked to you, then in the direction of the bright torch in the other room. Standing for a moment, you grabbed it, bringing it to the ground to light his way. Avoiding the torch flames, he tugged at where the flame once flickered. A string – a strange, strong type of string – you'd never seen something like that before, likened to spider silk but clearly flammable, and he pulled it.

The more he pulled the string, the more that came out, the flame making its way up it and burning through the dirt that fell in mounds onto the floor. Both of you scrambled out of the way when a large chunk of the hollow wall came down, crumbling upon impact with the ground. With that the last parts came down, along with the string, leaving the traps' mechanisms a mystery as the string burnt away.

"Do you know where this one leads?" Ahk asked in a hushed whisper, looking down the descending, dirt staircase. Fumbling for your notebook, you pulled it out, opening it to the last page.

"Um - that's, uh.. yeah, descending passage. That'll lead to the Grand Gallery, which leads... nowhere," you said, sighing and snapping the pages shut.

"Wrong one, then. Other side," he said, offering a playful smile as he turned, blowing out the second flame. Like the last one, he pulled at the charred string, the material somehow cutting through the dirt and stone as easily as a warm knife through butter.

"Do you know how that works?" You breathed out as the last chunk of dirt fell, followed by the string that burnt itself out.

"No idea," Ahk admitted, turning to you with that same smile still stuck on his face.

"It's fascinating," you said with a giggle, looking to him and then the doorway, leading up yellow brick stairs and into darkness.

Casting one last precautionary look to your map, the two of you stood and began the walk up the long staircase. He kept his hand right on the hilt of his dagger, ready to pull the curved blade at a seconds notice, while you kept your hand wrapped around your torso, ensuring your journal would stay safe. Neither of you had the paths memorized – there were too many inconsistencies between maps to be precise on the exact route, thus making any memorization useless.

Even with the torch in your hand, you couldn't see the end of the long, upwards hallway – all you saw was yellow and beige walls until it faded into an inky black void. Unsettling as it was, the two of you continued forward in careful and calculated steps. Traps were unaccounted for in certain areas, places that other archeologists had never found, and the thrill of being somewhere that no one in your age or century had ever been before, that was something exhilarating, a tremor that rushed beneath your skin.

As you continued upwards, you ran your hand against the dusty walls, the dirt coating your fingertips as you went. _How beautiful all this must've been,_ you thought.

+

The moment he left his village he'd known that the life ahead of him would be difficult. He knew it'd be tumultuous, and he knew it was likely he would not die unscarred and old. Despite that he still managed to hold some semblance of ambition, a sense of self, even with as weak as it was, and he kept to that. All throughout his ventures, Ahkmen would always save him – from the Pharaoh, from the guards, from punishment, from cruelty – that was what Ahkmen was good at. Protecting others, and it was a trait Naguib admired dearly. He often wished he was more like him, but now, trailing mud in the way of bricks at least four times his size, conscious thought left him.

Coming down in harsh beatings, the sun burnt at his bare back. Wiping the sweat off his brow, he stepped back for a moment, letting a few others continue to work as he caught his breath. In the very least, Kahmunrah wasn't the ruler anymore; that had been a disaster after Ahkmen's murder, but it wasn't too long till Kahmunrah was assassinated by a very tired citizen, who was never found. No one said a thing about it, and everyone silently agreed to not peruse the subject further. Khufu took up the mantle after the last older brother ran away.

Naguib knew the royal family personally. At least he used to – a long while ago he was the manservant for Ahkmen, before he died. Now he was likened to every other worker, treated as though he didn't know anything, just because he had the muscle to move the bricks. That was a mistake on the architects side; Naguib knew his way around homes, he used to build them, and he knew how to farm, knew how buildings stayed up and how to keep them that way for generations. His knowledge earned him the unofficial title of overseer of workers, which mostly meant that any questions workers had were directed to him.

"You'll need a tunnel there," Naguib said, half out of breath as he pointed to several men filling a hole with sand near the base of the structure. "It'll alleviate the pressure of the building, doesn't have to be pretty, just has to stay up."

The four men nodded, grabbing the buckets nearby, filling them with the loose sand and throwing it out of the way. Returning to the task at hand, Naguib reached for the cart filled with baskets of water. As he drained the water slowly over the sand, allowing the men to push and pull at the large brick, a man with obsidian skin and midnight eyes came up and tapped his shoulder. Light reflected in thin lines off the dips and accents of his muscles and bones, glowing golden in the sunlight.

"You seem to be the leader around here," he said, his voice far lower than any other Naguib had heard.

"A bit. If you're looking for the architect, you'll have better luck in the palace," Naguib said, grunting with effort as he let the rest of the water fall out of the basket and onto the sand.

"I am only curious... as to what you're doing, and.. how it works," he said, taking pauses to look up at the parts that had already been completed.

"Really? Most people already know," Naguib said as he rested his hands on his hips, trying to catch his breath again in the stifling heat.

"I'm not from here. I come from Tanis," he said, like stating a fact – the way he held out his hand for Naguib to shake, it felt wrong, too calculated and precise. "My name is Abasi," he introduced himself, his arm stick straight as he presented his hand.

Naguib eyed him for a moment, trying to discern if he was telling the truth. Sure, he acted rather strangely, but it wouldn't be the first strange person Naguib had come across, and to be fair, Abasi looked... royal. Something about the way he held himself – there was a difference, Naguib noticed that along with a great many other things throughout his interactions with the royal family and those below them. It'd be best not to anger him, and it wasn't like a single man could hurt a monument as large as the one they were building.

With that decided, Naguib shook his hand and took Abasi aside, leading him into a shaded canopy, where a table with the plans sat, along with a sleeping overseer, who was supposed to being the job Naguib had to take up. Unfortunately, she had a habit of simply not knowing anything. Gently pulling her chair (and her) out of the way, Naguib directed him to the paper on the table, intricate sketches and calculations shown in every corner.

"You've got your basic pyramid, a four sided structure including the bottom, and then your five sided pyramid, that has four sides and the bottom, which makes up the fifth. This one's a bit different, but it's got the general idea of a 'five sided' pyramid. Here's the view from above, and as you can see, it's got generally four sides, but there's these lines that run through it," Naguib traced his finger along the dips in the structure, "leaving an indent in each side running along the central lines, from bass to peak. That makes it eight sided. Now we aren't making the concaved areas that big – as you can see out there, we've already got the base started, and it's not that noticeable. With that technique which, by the way, is actually quite brilliant – I didn't think of it certainly – that helps it stay up. The empty hallways though, which the folks down there are calling relief chambers, that helps keep it up as well. And you can already see how we're moving the bricks and putting them into place, as well as the entrances."

"Yes, I..." his gaze flickered from the outlines to the small entrance at one of the points in the pyramid, "I noticed. Could you tell me what it's for?"

"Oh, right. Sorry. It's a very large tomb," Naguib answered, motioning vaguely with his hands. "Khufu's ordered it built so he'll stay safe in the afterlife, he's putting almost everything he owns in it when he dies."

"That can't be good for the economy," Abasi said in that gruff voice, sounding very matter-of-fact.

"Not the best, no, but I don't think Pharaohs have the wellbeing of the people at the forefront of their mind. Not most of them, at least," Naguib said, his voice growing quieter when he recalled Ahkmen, and how he had been Pharaoh for only a day before his early death.

"That is not how the world should work," Abasi said as though he could change that fact, and with that he turned and left, leaving Naguib with a fair share of questions. It only seemed fair to him – this stranger came up with questions, he answered them, and now Naguib wanted his questions answered. He knew better though, he knew this man would never give him answers.

So he followed him. Naguib forewent his work, leaving the shade of the open canopy, making sure to hide behind the few bushes in the sand. Abasi turned around only once, only once to look back at the pyramid before he continued on his way, coming up to a well-forested stretch of the Aur, the water running slow in its' muddy wake. Here it wasn't quite as hot – Naguib wasn't sure if it was just because he was in the shade, or because the nile water ran cool, but it was a welcome relief. Even hidden amongst the flora he felt uneasy, watching Abasi crack his neck backwards, his mouth hanging open. Naguib swallowed the lump in his throat.

Abasi's bones began to crack, the joints and angles switching and turning in circles, his skin darkening further till he writhed upon the ground. Covering his mouth with his hand, Naguib forced himself to never make a single noise. As Abasi rose from the ground, no longer human, the answer hit him – of _course_ he wasn't human, that'd explain a fair amount. The way he spoke, the curt and cold tone of his movements, his questions, it had to be him. There was no other answer.

Anubis.

+

"Do you think Anubis ever got lost in here?" Ahk asked in a breathless voice, making to sit on one of the shallow stairs. Taking a step down, you joined him, finally resting your body and your arm, tired and aching from holding up the torch.

"Who knows," you said with a deep sigh, leaning your head backwards.

"Yeah," he agreed thoughtlessly, "I'm too tired to think."

Shifting on the stair, you leant back, your spine hitting against the steps as you tried lying down. Sitting up was too much effort now.

"God, I thought I'd be exhausted from dodging traps," you mumbled, closing your eyes.

"Life is rarely so straightforward," he said, scooting up by a stair to lie next to you, his face in similar pain and relaxation.

You didn't respond. There were several things you could've said, and a few more that came to mind, but you didn't want to waste the breath you were trying so hard to catch.

Time passed rather slow – you must've been there for a short time, but it felt much longer, sweating and panting on those steps. It didn't take too long for you to get your bearings again, and when you awoke from the short rest your torch was close to burnt out. Gripping it tight in your hand, you knelt at Ahk's side, digging into his pocket while he mumbled about you crossing boundaries. Searching for the last oil spots on it, you lit the flame beneath them. That allowed for a little more time, but you'd have to find another oil vat soon, lest you be lost in the endless dark of the tomb.

"We should hurry," you told him, pulling him to his feet. "We'll run out of light soon, and that lighter will run out of oil at some point, so we can't just use that."

"There's oil in it?" He asked in a haze as you handed him back his lighter. You nodded, and the two of you continued up the stairs.

At last the end was in sight – the dimming light of the torch casted its' light against the wall ahead of you, where you were certain was the divide between the well shaft and a hall that lead to both the Queen's chamber passage and, according to your maps, a long hall leading to the King's Chamber Passage. Your step quickened. Going up the last three steps, the two of you came to the top of the staircase, finding nothing but a blank, stone wall.

"... what?" You mumbled, looking back down at your map, back up to the wall, and then to your torch as the last flame died away.

"Well shit," Ahk said with a long sigh, the both of you now hidden in the blinding darkness.

Your instant reaction was to panic, which would be the reaction of most people. Stuck in a massive pyramid with no inkling as to where you were, buried beneath thick rock, no entrance in sight, no lights to see the way – but you'd been in this position before. Your professor wouldn't've let you go through getting your doctorate without at least a _little_ excavation. He sent you to Egypt, near Thebes, and in one of the subterranean tunnels, you were caved in. The roof had fallen behind you, burying you underground till the other workers began frantically digging at the mud, dirty with rotted bones and well water. That understandably terrifying experience had you avoiding excavations for the next couple years, up until now.

"Maybe it's a doorway thing? Like the last one," you said, your tone laced with irritation. It had to be – the stairwell wouldn't lead nowhere, there was a purpose to it, and a purpose to the blank wall. Egyptians were not needless builders.

"There's nothing here, though. Not even a crack, or a holder for the torch, nothing... just.. blank," he mumbled, snapping his fingers anxiously.

Dropping the torch, you pressed your hand against the wall, pressing into it. You held no expectation that it would break or move in any way, but there was little else to do. Besides, it couldn't hurt, and it led you to finding a very small hole in the wall, the only outstanding feature in the massive stairwell.

"In the very least we know we're headed in the right direction. All these traps are un... what's the word? Untrapped?"

"You mean sprung?" You asked, concentrating mainly on the little hole. Pressing your finger in, it didn't go very deep – in fact, it hardly qualified as a hole overall, considering it was more of an indent in the stone. Nothing happened, as expected. You pressed harder.

"Yeah, that... that sounds about right," Ahk mumbled, the sound of stepping feet coming from beside you. "What are you doing?"

"That thing you did with the crack in the room, putting my finger into mysterious places without checking the lethality or taking any precautions," you said absently, earning a sharp laugh from Ahk.

"I was right though, wasn't I? You're not going to keep teasing me for being right when you were wrong, are you?"

"I'll do it till the day you die from putting your body parts in foreign places," you said, breathing hot air into the hole, your finger still pressed deep into it.

"I wouldn't worry," he sighed as you felt a spike against your fingertip, "I don't think I'd go past using a finger."

"Really? What a shame," you mumbled, not especially paying attention to the conversation, too concentrated in the tiny dip. "Ahk," you said, holding out your other hand behind you, "give me your lighter."

"I thought you said we shouldn't -"

"I won't use it for long," you said softly, turning to him.

Despite barely being able to see him in the shadows, you could see his outline, and you could feel his heat beside you, close, even though you didn't reach for him. He looked at you for a moment before, trying to see you past the dark, but he eventually relented. Pulling out his lighter, he handed it to you.

"Alright. If it runs out it's on you," he said.

"Of course," you promised, spinning back round to the wall.

Pushing into the open lighter, a flame flickered from the iron wick, almost hurting your eyes with its brightness. Blinking, you lowered your thumb from the heat, pressing the flame into the hole, waiting for some sort of reaction. A sort of spike had appeared with just the warmth from your mouth – hopefully this would activate it further, and hopefully it was something you wanted to activate. Ahk peeked over your shoulder, mostly hidden behind you but keen to watch your experiment.

The longer you kept it there, the larger the spike grew, till Ahk mentioned something you hadn't quite yet seen – the spike _wasn't_ growing bigger. The wall was shrinking. Of course, the way he said it sounded ridiculous, but with a look back at the hole you realized what he meant. Around that single spike, the rock around the door was _disintegrating_. Falling to the ground as if it had always been sand. A sharp gasp left you as it began crowding over your feet, making you step back, almost pushing Ahk down the stairs.

"Watch it!" He exclaimed, grabbing onto your arm as he fell backwards. Falling to the wall to balance him, you ended up on your butt, with him standing above you, still grasping onto your arm.

The both of you burst out laughing, even as the sand ran down your shirt. He helped you to your feet, untucking your shirt for you, letting the sand collect on the floor with the rest of it. He even took his lighter from your fumbling hands, letting you tend to yourself as he pressed the lighter back up against the wall.

"Jesus," you whispered, looking over his shoulder. "How does that work?"

"No clue. Might take a while, too," he said, turning to you only slightly.

Reaching for his hand, you took the lighter from him, pushing him gently out of the way and poking what little light you could into the room in front of you. He asked what you were doing, but you shushed him. Pressing your eye right up against the small hole that had formed, you looked around the dark room ahead, finding another vat of oil on the other side.

"Thank God for Egyptians," you muttered, your voice strained as you straightened your back. "We should focus on breaking the wall here. That'll let us dip this," you picked up the torch, "in the vat on the other side."

"Ohh, good thinking. I didn't think they'd give us another thing, not after the last one," Ahk commented, watching you hold the lighter to the corner the vase sat behind.

"_You're_ the smart one here. I'm working on impulse, you actually know what to look for," you said.

"I feel that a great many of our traps were more or less time based and, unfortunately, only worked once before rendered useless," he said, nodding as though he was talking about the weather.

"Does that upset you?"

"Of course it does. Why wouldn't it?"

You looked at him, finding him already looking at you, a quizzical look on his face.

"I dunno," you said with a shrug, feeling hot embarrassment well up in your cheeks.

When you burnt through to the last layer of the thick wall, you began digging at it with your fingers, the heat off your skin aiding the crumbling rock. Ahk took the lighter back from you, quickly putting it away before helping you. Clumps came out, crumbling in your touch before it all fell to the ground, the sand flowing down the stairs. At last the oil vat came in sight, just barely visible, but enough for the both of you to double your efforts till you could stick the torch in through the hole you made, dipping it into the liquid.

Pulling it back out, Ahk lighted it, the flame growing from a flicker to a roar in a second. At first the light hurt your eyes, but you both grew accustomed to it. As you rested the torch near the wall, the sand began to fall in great spurts, as though the wall had suddenly turned to sand at your whim.

"Jesus, that is so cool," you said, a wide grin spreading across your face. Even in such an uncertain situation, you remained elated at the genius of ancient Egyptians – there would probably always be that part of you in any circumstance.

At last you burnt a large enough hole in the door that the two of you could fit through, which the both of you were eager to do since most of the sand had fallen into your boots. Fitting the torch through first, you crawled into the small hole, stepping into the hallway on the other side. As Ahk followed you, you turned each way – left or right, either way you still couldn't see down them. Knowing before you asked Ahk took the torch from you, letting you pull out your map once more.

"Supposedly we're here," you said, showing him the exact point, "meaning left leads to... left is the well shaft, and right leads to the Queen's chamber passage as well as the King's chamber passage!"

"Right it is then," Ahk said with a smile, the two of you already on your way before you could tuck your map back into your shirt.

"We're near the end," you mumbled quietly, stepping out of the way to avoid a spider corpse.

"Or the beginning."

"Either way we're doomed," you said with a shrug.

"Probably," Ahk chuckled, raising the torch above your heads as the ceiling began to rise, heading into the largest hall you'd seen yet.

Unlike the rest of the walls you'd seen, the walls that now surrounded you were far more vibrant, dust covered and clearly untouched, most likely undisturbed since the moment it was built. Large statues the size of a house towered at the end of the hall, the stinging eyes sharp on yours. It was a common tactic of Pharaohs, garnering fear from sheer size, something obvious in the art they commissioned. The statues weren't the only strange thing in the long hall – each wall was covered in paintings, stories of the afterlife and of Gods, the instructions on how to farm and how to build homes and how to govern, stories about Khufu, and at the end a portrait of his family, the fallen King Ahkmenrah at his side as an equal.

Ahk stopped there. You knew he would the second you saw it, and you stood beside him, letting him pause to think of all that had happened to his brother, and all his life could have been without Kahmunrah. He leant into you, resting his head against yours, your fingers brushing against his.

"I never saw him grow up," Ahk murmured, his eyes still glued on the painting of him beside Khufu, "but when I knew him, he was a good person."

"He seems like it," you noted softly. "You're a good brother."

"_Was_."

Despite the size and careful decoration of the long hall, there were no riches to be found besides those only historians may treasure. No gold, no treasure, no sarcophagi and no mummies, not even furniture – it was a common tactic for Pharaohs and other such rich people to bury themselves with their furniture, anything they wanted to take into the next world, but Khufu chose nothing. In the very least, nothing you could see, and nothing that hadn't already been discovered. Ahk left the painting shortly after and the two of you continued on, pushing past the large wooden doors.

You already knew what awaited you past the King's Chamber Passage – the name in itself was pretty self-explanatory, but you'd never seen an Antechamber in person. It was something you longed to see unseparated from its resting place, as oftentimes there were ones present in museums, but none of them held quite the enlightenment a fully intact one did. The walls surrounding you and Ahk crowded you, and though the ceiling was high only three or so more people would've fit in there with you. Hieroglyphs covered every wall, mutterings of ancient spells and rituals, telling of a passage into the afterlife, rules on how to speak to Ma'at and her judges. The light of your torch casted distinct shadows against the drawings, enunciating their clarity even in their old age. An untouched chamber, untouched carvings, and each of them looked as though they'd been made yesterday.

"Holy _shit_," you said, spinning slowly to get a good look at the room. Maybe you shouldn't've said that, considering the funny look you got from Ahk, but damn if it wasn't one of the most beautiful sights you'd seen – something so unique, so well preserved. You turned to Ahk. All of it was... a bit like him, in a way.

"Are you done drooling over words?" He asked dully, a hint of humor in his tone. You laughed, grinning wide as you stared up at the ceiling again, watching how the light of the torch danced on it.

"Just admiring the art," you said, winking as you looked him up and down.

"Get in the hole, (Y/N)," he gritted out, his face turning a brilliant red as he tried to duck away from your torch.

"As you wish," you said, handing him the torch and getting on your knees.

Placing your hands on the dirt-laden floor you came up to the small hole on the other side of the room, squeezing through the tight space till you ended up on the other side, in the Kings Chamber. Before you even thought to look around you turned back to the door, waiting for Ahk to come through. First the torch came through, rolling on the ground till it hit the toe of your boot, then followed by Ahk once you picked the torch up. You helped him to his feet, steadying him and wiping the dust off his shirt.

"So where are we now?" He asked, looking to you when the two of you were fully situated. You raised the torch high above your head, lighting all the room.

"The Pharaoh's Chamber. Khufu's very own grave," you said in a whisper, as though anything else would disturb the sleeping bodies.

That was an issue, at least at first glance – all the bodies, the bodies of workers who died, of servants Khufu would take into the afterlife, cats and mummified jackals, hills upon hills of flowing gold in pots and dishes, coins and necklaces. There was a small part of you that dreaded this, mostly because you assumed the sarcophagus of the Pharaoh would be difficult to find amongst treasure, but that all dissipated when you saw him standing tall above all else at the other side of the room.

Not a word was exchanged as you walked with steady feet approaching the King, your eyes unmoving upon his golden casket. Ahk gripped your hand when you finally came to stand before it, blue and white eyes staring blankly forward, his arms crossed over his chest.

"According to our research the door has to be somewhere in here. I don't think it'll be easy to find," you said, looking out across the room from the small pedestal you stood on.

"Oh really? I thought this would be easy, like all the other shit we've had to do," Ahk said sarcastically, taking the torch from you and jumping down off the step. 

"No need to be mean. Look for anything out of place," you said, following him before you split, you taking the left side of the room and him taking the right.

"Or... out of fashion?" Ahk asked from behind a large ornamental vase.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Stepping into sight, he held out what looked a lot like chainmail – silver and glittering, but only a small square of it. You narrowed your eyes. That certainly wasn't a commonplace thing, at least not in the beginnings of Egypt.

"Silver," Ahk said, fitting it against his chest, "said to be what our bones are made of."

"Your bones are made of collagen," you drawled, taking the silver from him and holding it up to the torch you left at the altar. It gleamed as though it had been polished less than a week ago.

"Fortunately for you, I don't know what that means, and I think I know how this works," he said, taking it back.

You picked up the torch, watching Ahk ascend the steps till he stood directly in front of his brother's coffin. He paused for a moment, a breath caught in his throat before he gently moved the coffin to the side, leaning it against a different wall. All that remained was a golden outline of where it was supposed to be.

To your dismay Ahk began ripping at the silver links, pulling till the first came off. Pressing the single link into the golden outline, you began to see his reasoning – gold was their skin, silver was their bone, and together they created something alive. Here before you it created a glow, dim compared to your torch but certainly there, moving like a heartbeat in front of Ahk. You watched with baited breath as he continued, pushing the links into the gold outline till the entirety of it glowed in an eerily white mist. As he placed the last one a wind swooped through the room, blowing out your torch and alighting the portal, a dark purple that swirled with fire red, the door laced by open veins and dripping with blood.

"Best go while we can," Ahk said. You jogged up the steps to meet him, dropping the torch carelessly to the ground.

He took your hand in his once more, his fingers thrumming against the back of your hand. You looked to him one more time, and he looked to you, and the both of you stepped through the gate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> from here on out I'm going to be focused on more the quality of this story rather than the frequency of updates. doesn't mean I'm abandoning this for another half a year, but lets just say I won't be able to write a chapter a day.


	17. A Guide in Death's Valley

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Duat holds a great many rooms and a fair amount of Gods, and there is never a way of telling which will kill you and which will help you.

A force blew through you, as though some creature were looking straight into your soul, an examination that burnt into your skin. You shut your eyes tight, trying to steady your grip on Ahk. The experience lasted only a matter of seconds, but by the time you reached the other side of the door, both of you were exhausted, panting and lying on the ground. Coughing, you made a weak effort to stand, only to fall back down on your knees. When you looked up, your eyes burning with tears, you saw a black sky above you, black earth beneath you, and a black valley ahead of you. Strangely, there were no metallic scents in the air – only lavender, and a distant honey.

"Remember," Ahk said with a grunt, rolling onto his back and staring at the sky, "we aren't dead. I don't think we'll have to... to go through all the, uh, trials, and things."

"You're helpful," you mumbled sarcastically, slowly standing up, and helping Ahk when you accomplished that.

The both of you stood there for a moment longer, watching the way the landscape seemed to breathe with a life of its own. Dark hills rolled down to make a shallow valley, where a thin stream ran beside you, its darkness an indicator of your presence. Palming at your waist, you grabbed your notebook. You opened it up to the map you'd drawn of Duat, the majority of it a graphite mess, but the replica of the Book of Two Ways' map would be of great use to you.

"So where are we?" Ahk asked, coming to stand beside you and look at the map in your hands.

"I'd say we're here," you said, pointing to a blank space, "meaning the first trial and tribulation would be snake chambers and squatting gods. Any idea what squatting gods are?"

"Absolutely no clue," he said.

_What a comfort_, you thought dully, snapping the book shut and hiding it back in your shirt. Stretching out your aching arms, the two of you began forward, the dull light of a clouded sky leading the way. He kept one hand intertwined with yours and the other on the hilt of his dagger, wary eyes glancing in every direction of the cavernous valley.

It took only a few minutes to reach the first room of what you knew to be a long hallway. Your map, though probably more incorrect than correct, predicted there to be rooms on either side of the valley, caves and homes where monsters and Gods sit with their trials and hardships for the ahk, or spirit, to pass. But you didn't belong here. Ahkmenrah might have belonged there, what with him not actually being alive, but you did not – you were flesh and bone through every day and night, and you weren't hoping to change that any time soon. That difference in you, that set you apart from everything else. Of course, you didn't notice this until Ahk pointed it out, stopping your trek to inform you.

"You're kind of... glowing," he told you, tilting his head curiously as he looked at you.

"I am the only living thing in the Duat. Probably not helpful, but there's not much we can do now," you said with a shrug. He agreed, nodding, and the two of you continued on your way, watching the hills for any sign of movement.

When the hills began to grow around you, reaching higher and higher into the sky, you heard whispers. Promises of a better life, murmurs of knowing something better than yourself. There you paused, as Ahk did, looking in every direction for the source of the voices. No movement, no falling pebbles, nothing at all, nothing but you and him.

"What are they telling you?" You asked in a hushed voice, your back pressed against his.

"They say I can be with my brothers, and my people," he answered, a breath caught in his throat. "What can you hear?"

You didn't want to say, as the moment he asked the whispers turned from general to oddly specific. At first it had been whispering grants of power, ways to a fruitful life, luring you into the life of a gold-starved Pharaoh. But when you spoke the tone changed, from hissing to hums. They murmured in your ear, close enough you could feel the heat of their words, telling you _love is easy, you can take what you want, do not feel stricken with duty, it is all a lie, take what you want._

"They're telling me I can use the tablet to bring back the people I study," you lied.

"Should we keep moving?"

"I don't think there's much else we can do," you mumbled, and as he grasped your hand once more, you came to, and left with him.

As you walked forward the voices grew louder, louder and louder until you couldn't hear your footsteps over them. Trying your hardest to keep an even breath, you willfully ignored them, till Ahk pulled at your arm, stopping you in your tracks. Turning to him, you followed his line of vision to a large cavern in the side of the mountain. Inside you found the first room – the snake chambers, home of squatting Gods, and the paths of Rostau. At least, that's what it was according to Sepi's tomb.

Watching you with slit eyes, the snakes approached you in a mass of writhing scales, forked tongues diving out of their mouths to taste your scent in the air. You stumbled backwards, dumbfounded at their presence just as Ahk was.

_"What do they fear? What do you fear, we will ssssee_," a black serpent hissed out, wrapping its body around your leg as emerald scaled snakes approached. They swirled up your body, restraining your arms till you couldn't move, the black snake curling up your torso till it came to your neck, its fangs teasing at your skin. You didn't dare move.

It was only then, crowded over with snakes tasting your flesh, choking the air out of you and cutting off your blood flow, you saw what lay behind the snake den. The Gods, none of which you could recognize, and each carrying an instrument and humming low. You struggled, trying to pull at your arms and raise your head. Your efforts remained futile, even as you looked to Ahk, who was in the same mortifying situation. Black and white spots crowded your vision as your breath cut off, the snakes still whispering into your ear, _lean into it, forget what you claim you need, you need nothing but yourself._

“_Aren’t you a pretty thing_,” a violent snake hummed in your ear, its tail curling around your neck. _“Oh, haven’t you got beautiful, delicious memories, decadent, ssssucculent little thing, don’t you worry, we will take good, good care of you.”_

Fear began to seep away from you, a warmth coating you as they began to overtake your body. It was far too easy to give in, to let them control you, to let go of your responsibilities and oaths to belong somewhere. Adrenaline left your veins, leaving only the exhaustion built from trekking through the pyramid and the Duat.

A bright _shiing_ sounded from beside you, followed by frantic hissing and the splatter of cold blood. In sudden clarity you ripped away from the black snake's grip, turning your head and neck, gasping for breath as you tried to see where Ahk was. In one moment he was beside you and in the next he stood above you, ripping his dagger through scaled flesh. Caught in the moment he payed little attention to where he cut, simply ripping at everything that tied you down, leaving several tiny cuts across your skin, but it wasn't the first time you'd been hurt on this venture. The second you could feel your limbs again you clawed at the snakes wrapped round your torso, digging your nails into their flesh till they released, screaming and writhing in your hold. You stood as soon as possible, throwing the snakes in another direction, their cold blood still staining yours and Ahk's bodies.

"See? Not too bad," he said with a grin, brushing the dirt off your shirt. You almost chuckled breathlessly, before looking over his shoulder, seeing the sitting Gods stand, their instruments on the floor and their humming no more.

"Behind you," you whispered, never tearing your gaze from their menacing positions. He turned, frozen as the Gods stepped down from their pedestals, moving towards you.

"Do we run?" He asked, his grip on his dagger tightening.

"What else are we gonna do? Fight Gods?" You mumbled anxiously, looking around desperately for somewhere to run, somewhere you could hide.

"Well it's not entirely unheard of -"

The instant you found a respite up the mountain, a tunnel the dug deep into the earth, you grabbed his hand and ran. Stumbling, he followed after you, his pace quickening when the Gods began chasing after you. Approaching the small hole you practically dived into it, Ahk coming soon after till the both of you crunched into the tiny space. Their hands came after you, grey and green skin reaching to try and grasp you, one of them managing to get a grip on your hair and pull you. 

Letting out a sharp yelp of pain you clawed at the hand, kicking your feet desperately to avoid being pulled out. Ahk grabbed at you, pulling you by your feet till the God’s grasp weakened, ending with you sliding back down the cave and curling up beside Ahk. Shaking with adrenaline and fear you kept close to him, hugging him close and watching with wide eyes as the hands kept reaching for you. They seceded a moment later as the earth moved. You looked to Ahk for an explanation, but as usual the both of you had level intelligence as to the happenings around you.

Crammed into that tight place, rocks surrounding you as the earth began to shake, you tried to catch your breath. Ahk did the same, the two of you staring at each other as you panted.

"Earthquake," you noted softly as a large tremor ran through the ground.

"I didn't think the Duat _had_ earthquakes," he mumbled, staring up at the obsidian ceiling.

"I, uh," you shifted in the small space, "I think it's probably Ra."

"Ra? Why - oh, yeah, the uh... the serpent battle. I don't know why I didn't remember that," he said, hitting his head with his palm. You reached for his hand, pulling it away from him and holding it tight in yours.

"You've been detached from your world for a long while. No one faults you for that, but we should probably not be around Ra, he's kind of a dick," you said, your breath catching in your throat with a particularly harsh rumble of the earth.

"Oh yeah, total agreement there," he grunted, moving on his elbows and knees to crawl out of the tunnel, reaching the light of the sky before it was overshadowed. You came up behind him, peeking over his shoulder.

The shadow cast upon the small opening was made by none other than Ra himself, standing at the size of a five floor building and towering above the valley hills. In his grasp lay the snake Apep, Ra's vice grip tight around his neck as he writhed, his fangs begging to be sunk into Ra's flesh. Apep wrapped his tail around Ra's free hand, squeezing till the blood cut off and bruises began to form. You winced when Ra cried out, both pained and determined as the fight continued, Ra stumbling back till he fell backwards. He rolled over, pinning the serpent beneath him. Letting out an uproarious cry, he freed himself from Apep's grasp, pulling out a dagger and pressing it into the serpent's mouth. Blood splattered across Ra's face, and in a rush Ahk grabbed your hand.

Pulling you out of the tunnel, Ahk lead you down the valley, never stopping his affrighted running till Ra was out of sight. Gasping for breath you fell to your knees, exhausted from the bolting speed Ahk had taken. He stopped beside you, panting as he rested his hands on his knees, looking off in the distance to see if Ra had noticed either of you.

"I think," he said, still trying to catch his breath, "he's big enough and we're small enough, I don't think he saw us."

"Oh God," you mumbled, coughing. "I really hope we don't need to sleep cause we're gonna have a hell of a time trying to find somewhere safe."

"Don't worry," he said in a sigh, sitting down next to you. "What danger comes next?"

"I'm not sure. If we were on the route of a dead person, we would've had to pass through the tunnel directly beside the squatting Gods, but we're not dead, so we can't go there. It looks like it's just a straight line, but I don't know where it'll lead," you said, pulling out your notebook and pointing to the various landmarks on your simple map, connected to an outlined list of all the dangers of the Duat.

"I _really_ wish we could summon Ma'at right now n' ask her some questions," he mumbled, leaning his head against your shoulder.

"She said we could only ask one question," you reminded him. "Otherwise she'd kill us."

"I know, just hypothetical wishing. Can I see the map again?"

You dug the notebook out of your shirt and handed it to him. Opening it up to the right page, he held it so the both of you could see it, trying to pinpoint where you were. The two of you had just passed the snakes and ran a great ways, meaning you were somewhere near the lake of fire, most likely separated from that by the hills surrounding you.

"My theory is that we're walking down the middle, see this section," you said, running your finger down the thin middle of the map separating the trials from the Gods' homes. "That means that all the trials are either within the mountain or on the other side of it -"

"Meaning that on the other side of _that_ range," he pointed to the right side of the valley, "is where Osiris and all them live."

"I believe so. Let's hope that everyone else is as big as Ra was, it'll be really hard to navigate that area if we're all the same size," you said, shutting your book and putting it back in your shirt as you stood.

Ahk stood with you, the both of you looking up at the tall mountainside, wondering how long it would take to scale that height. There were no more tunnels, no holes or caverns in the mountainside.

"How long do you suppose we've been here?" He asked, still looking up at the cliffs.

"Half a day maybe?"

He let out a whine of discontentment, which you couldn't blame him for – you'd been there less than a day and you'd already almost died three times. First was the snakes, second was the miscellaneous gods, and third was your mystery encounter with none other than Ra. The ravine, though, it stretched out endlessly; you would be walking it for days if you let yourself do so. You couldn't even see the portal behind you anymore. Out of all things that made you the most anxious, leaving you constantly wondering if the portal would stay open. There were a great deal of other things to be anxious about rather than that, so you kept your eyes open, and your thoughts clear.

Reaching for the nearest grip, you began your ascent up the mountainside, breathing deeply in hopes of avoiding serious exhaustion. Ahk came up beside you, but about five minutes into it the earth began to rumble again. Both of you looked to each other in a snap, the color draining from your faces as another tremor shook the earth, weakening your grasp on the rocks. You fell, sliding a short way down the mountain till you landed on steady ground. Looking to the sky and all around, you watched for Ra, as Ahk instinctively began searching for a hiding place. The silent communication you and Ahk had would come in handy once again, ending with him finding another small tunnel and forcing you inside.

"I feel like a rat," he said, following after you, sliding down the smooth rock of the too-circular tunnel. He slammed into you, apologizing softly as he situated himself to sit beside you.

"Better than looking like Ra's dinner at least," you mumbled, your eyes stuck on the entrance to the hole.

Trying to even out your breath, you ignored the tight space, hoping your mild claustrophobia would leave you alone – neither you nor Ahk needed an anxiety attack on your hands. The heat from both of you began warming up the small tunnel, a pleasant experience if you weren't already sweating from fear. A bitter scent invaded you, the smell of pools of blood from either within the mountain or from outside. You weren't sure which one terrified you more. With each thundering footstep the tremors grew worse, the giant approaching you slowly. Gripping Ahk you shut your eyes tight, willing for it to pass by you, pleading for safety within the mountain.

A shadow came over the tunnel entrance, an indicator you recognized too easily, and one that sent sheer terror down your spine. While you kept your eyes shut, Ahk looked on in a much braver act than you were willing to do. Instead you kept him close, as he kept you close, and the both of you waited for it all to be over. Peeking open a single eye, you watched as a foot stopped by the entrance. Both of you stopped breathing, petrified by the nearness. The giant, which you assumed was most likely a God, leant down there, knees pressed into the earth as they looked into the tunnel with a single, massive eye.

Immediately it saw you, watching as both of you clenched in fear, grasping each other tight as you tried to cram as far down the one-way tunnel as you could. Panic coursed through your veins in painfully harsh heartbeats. Long eyelashes blinked over the giant eye, a black and grey pupil following you and your frantic movements.

In a loud snap the eye left, in its' place a young woman with long black and blue hair, the dreads lined with expensive beads and a crimson and gold crown atop her head. She smiled a brilliant and kind smile, one that almost had you relaxing.

"Hello!" She said rather brightly, still smiling wide as she waved. "You aren't supposed to be here. How'd you get here?"

Her word choice made you want to think that she was hostile, but her tone said something else entirely, as she still remained as friendly as ever. The dress she wore, starting right below her breasts and running down to her ankles fitted her nicely, the red material tight around her waist and loose at her feet, allowing you to see the golden anklets she bore. When you saw the green beads gracing her collarbones, the cow horns in her crown, and the thin staff she held, her identity clicked in your head.

"Wait - are you Hathor?" You asked incredulously, your eyes wide as you spoke. Now Hathor, she was a God you could get behind, unlike Zeus and Ra. Osiris was okay but he was on thin ice in your books.

"Yes! I'm honoured you recognized me," she said with a laugh, her cheeks turning a soft pink as tiny creases appeared beside her eyes. "What are your names?"

"Uh, I - I'm (Y/N), this is Ahkmenrah, but usually we just call him Ahk," you introduced yourselves, almost stuttering in her presence, but you managed to hold together well enough.

Hathor, you hadn't thought about meeting her (or really any God besides Anubis), but that certainly didn't mean you weren't elated to see her. She was a kind Goddess, a protector of women and a patron of beauty. Not only that, but she appeared to live up to her titles with much integrity, helping you and Ahk out of the hole you'd sunk into.

"Ahkmenrah, you're quite the story around here," she said when you both stood on your feet before you. She brushed at his clothes, clearing the dust and blood off him before giving you the same treatment. Only when you stood directly in front of her did you notice her height, which was still notable, as she stood probably two or three feet taller than you.

"Really?" Ahk said, looking unsure if that was a good or bad thing.

"Oh yes," she said, nodding sagely. "Not everyone cheats death every night."

Ahk turned to you, an expression that begged the question, _does this woman hate us or not?_ Unfortunately you did not know the answer, but you'd bet she in the very least wouldn't hurt you. You shrugged in unison with him, and the two of you followed her down the valley, keeping a faster pace to match her long strides.

"So, um - weird question, but are you going to kill us?" Ahk asked when you caught up with her.

"What he means is that most of the things and people we've met here so far have been, well..." you looked to Ahk, "um, let's say less than hospitable. We're just wondering what you plan on doing with us, if anything at all."

"Depends on where you're headed and what your aim is," she answered, and you prayed that she didn't know what you were actually doing. If she did, her phrasing definitely meant she was going to kill you. There was, however, the chance that Anubis _wasn't_ telling each and every person the whole situation, and that left a little hope for you.

You spent the next hour or so walking with her and explaining to her the particulates of your predicament, the bulk of the story told by Ahk since he was there during the tablet's creation. Fortunately she took your word, believing that Khonshu blessed his family, and that you were there only to help. Of course, she was intelligent, and asked many questions, all of which the two of you were happy to answer. It was rare to find a God who acted kind and, in a way human, in all the best ways.

"It shouldn't be too hard to find your tablet. I know where it is, it's like a siren here – Khonshu doesn't live here, so when his magic appears, it's not in the ordinary for any of us," she told you as you walked.

"So you're going to help us?!" Ahk asked in an astounded voice, his mouth hanging open. You didn't blame him for that either, considering practically no one you'd met so far had been willing to help and guide you.

"That'd be wonderful," you added. "You don't have to, though."

"No, there's really very little to do here, and we can't do much on earth, so... it's fun to play with Anubis anyway," she said with a shrug, and in that moment you remembered that this was nothing but drama for Gods. Your life, magic on earth, Ahk's existence was all just drama and politics for them.

Ahk doubled back, his pace slowing to match yours. Standing beside you, he kept an eye on Hathor as he spoke in a hushed voice, leaning closer to you.

"Is this a good idea?" He whispered, his shoulder brushing yours.

"Can't be worse than our original idea," you mumbled back. He bit his lip uncertainly, glancing Hathor up and down before slowly agreeing with a tentative nod. Perhaps you couldn't trust her, but she was your best bet, and both you and Ahk had experience with cautious trust. Hathor would have to do.


	18. Hold Him Close

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finding sanctuary.

Surprisingly, Hathor and Ahk got along rather well. Maybe you shouldn't have been surprised, but it was certainly a jarring sight to see, a giant woman conversing with a dead man and both of them in high spirits, talking like teenagers at a bar. You trailed along after them, keeping your pace equal to theirs but just slow enough that you never caught up with them fully. Ahk probably wanted his privacy. Even if he didn't, you had little to offer conversation-wise, considering you were not around during the height of Egypt. It was a truth you hated to admit.

While they went about talking of different fishing methods, you kept your eyes on your surroundings, wary of any movement or any out-of-the-ordinary happenings. Every now and then a pebble or rock would fall from the hills and you'd dart to look at it, only calming when you were sure no one had caused it. Of course, your constant anxiety did nothing for your exhausted state, and by the time Ahk requested the three of you to stop, you were fully ready to collapse right where you stood.

Instead, you helped Ahk find a place to sleep for the time being, somewhere safe that would be hard to find and harder to access. Having Hathor on your side ended up being fantastic for exactly this situation – she knew the Duat better than either of you, and led you deep into the earth where a cavernous dwelling sat beneath the mountains. A small pool of clear, blue-grey water rested in the corner, the bottom sinking far past what you could see. Moss covered the floor, vines and flowers hanging from the high ceiling, glowing blue whenever they rustled. Mystified by their beauty you stared at the ceiling, your mouth hanging open as the stones and crystals above glittered in the moon pools' reflection.

"You should be safe here. I don't think anyone else knows of this place, besides maybe Ptah, but he doesn't ever come down here," Hathor assured you, looking up at the ceiling her crown touched. "I will stand guard outside, but I shall place a shield over you nonetheless."

"That's very kind of you. Thank you," you said respectfully, adding a small bow at the end.

"Won't you get bored?" asked Ahk, who was much more comfortable with her than you were.

"I have spent a long time being alive. A day is nothing to me," she said, offering a short smile before she turned round, shrinking to a smaller size as she climbed out of the cave.

A sudden sound filled the cavern, like a gong echoing through the tunnels. Netted gold like hardened honey crossed over every wall, encircling you and Ahk, till the noise disappeared, and the glow vanished.

"... interesting," Ahk commented airily, looking up and around the ceiling and walls before his gaze rested once more on you.

"We should get some sleep," you suggested, flopping down onto the ground before resting your head on a particularly soft spot of moss.

"I don't feel tired," he said as he sat down beside your head, his legs crossed.

Humming thoughtlessly, you moved your head into his lap, curling your fingers around his thigh. Your thoughts slipped from you the moment he ran his fingers through your hair, untangling the mess made from your journey. With everything you went through, it was an odd feeling to be calm, to feel safe – what was once the norm became something special, something strange, and you weren't quite sure if that was good or bad. All you really knew was that Hathor would keep you safe, and Ahk would not abandon you.

"Hathor is rather beautiful," Ahk mused, still looking up at the glittering ceiling.

"Isn't she supposed t' be?" You mumbled.

"Well yes, but that doesn't negate the fact that she really is beautiful," he said in a soft tone, still running his fingers through your hair. "It reminds me of one of the statues at the museum."

"Probably Aphrodite. There's loads of statues of her," you said, turning from your side and onto your back, and looking up at him.

"Aphrodite... could you tell me about her?"

You thought for a moment, fidgeting with the scarf tied round your waist. Grecian mythology wasn't something you were ever interested in past the normal curiosity, leaving you with little knowledge on the subject, but you could explain the minimum on her.

"The Greeks had a large array of Gods, like you," you started off with, catching his eye when he looked to you, interested in your word. "Aphrodite was their Goddess of beauty, and of other things, but I can't quite remember those. Greeks originated from above the Mediterranean, so that's just above Egypt. They were quite adept at the sciences, a bit like you, but they applied themselves to working beyond the simple necessities. We still use Greek numbers, and a lot of their concepts are still in use and prominent in today's society."

"You talk like a historian," he grumbled, leaning back on his palms behind him.

"I _am_ a historian," you reminded him, trying to hold back giggles when he glared at you. "How do you know how we talk anyway?"

"I've had my fair share of conversations with McPhee and dear Gods, he bores me. Don't get me wrong, he's a kind man and such, just not... entertaining," Ahk said, choosing his words very carefully.

"And I'm like him?" You asked, not feeling insulted in the slightest. You knew him better than that.

"Yes and no," he answered vaguely. "You have overlapping interests, but you're much more fun, and a lot prettier."

"Aww, you think I'm prettier than McPhee?"

Ahk laughed, shaking his head. With a sigh he said, "that's not what I meant at all."

"What does McPhee do that bores you anyway?" You asked, slowly removing yourself from his lap, and sitting up across from him.

"Oh, just..." he thought very hard for a moment before responding, "he can go on for _ages_ talking about one subject and he's totally oblivious to when the person wants to leave. That's why I don't talk to him much, conversations with him last for ages."

"To be fair, you don't really have any conversations with anyone. At least, that's what I noticed while I was there," you said, recalling that he was always either dancing, picking the music, or talking to you.

"Not many people catch my interest," he said with a shrug. You knew what that was like – in high school no one had any solid interests that matched with yours, so you shut up about Egypt, and pretended to be as dull as everyone else. Probably not the best tactic, but it certainly worked.

"Should I be honored that we're now friends?" You asked teasingly.

"That's up to you," he laughed.

You bit your bottom lip, toying with it as you thought on your relationship with him. There was no denying it was a strange relationship, though you'd bet any relationship with Ahk was strange, considering he's a dead Pharaoh. Therein lied the issue – in that moment it occurred to you that he might only like you just because you were a connection to his home. While you were happy to act as such, it was a dampening thought to believe there was nothing special about you aside from the information you knew. You wanted so desperately for Ahk to like you, and while it wasn't unheard of for you to simply _become_ something people would like, you were never consciously aware of your personality change. That brought up another question; did he only like the personality you grew for him, or have you been your true self all along?

This would be much easier, you decided, if you just asked him. As terrifying as that action was to you, you let the question slip past your lips. The words fell like an anchor between you.

"Why do you like me?" You asked. The words themselves indicated that he did like you, which was a bit of an assumption, as he could've changed his mind since you rejected him. You wouldn't blame him for that. Still the question remained, waiting for a suddenly fidgety Ahk to answer.

"I, um..." he scratched at his skin, "do you want the short answer or the whole one? 'Cause the whole one is a tad long."

"We have time," you said, subconsciously leaning closer to him, awaiting his response in jittery eagerness.

"You're... passionate, and true to your word. Um - do you promise not to think I'm strange?"

"Promise."

Nodding slowly, he reluctantly continued.

"You're very dedicated, and you have a good heart. I've said it before, but... you didn't have to help. You could've let me go alone, you could've stopped the whole operation, let the world run its' course without me and without everyone else, but you didn't. That takes a lot of courage, to forgo everything for the sake of something you barely know."

"I didn't do that for the tablet," you said with a soft scoff, staring at him as he avoided your gaze, fidgeting with his fingers.

"I don't... um, you - you do this thing when we're in danger, I don't think you even know you're doing it," he said, stuttering as he ignored your obvious insinuation that _you did it for him_. "You know how most people run away when danger presents itself?"

You nodded. Perhaps you shouldn't've said anything – you decided that you should probably stay silent for the rest of his explanation.

"You step closer to it. That's not even metaphorical, you literally step in front of Sac and I, like a human shield. It's terrifying, seeing you do that. I get so worried sometimes," he said quietly, trailing off. He met your gaze for a short second before returning to staring at his hands. "There's this other thing you do, too – well, it's not really an action, it's more of a response, but anyway – you don't mind when people ask you questions. I've met people that hate explaining themselves and abhor teaching others, but you don't. Sac asks you questions and you always answer them with a level head. I don't think I've ever seen you get angry. Like, truly angry. I've seen you get angry for good reason, like when I said I'd go into the Duat alone."

You hardly recalled your reaction to that, despite it happening less than a week ago. Time was strange.

"I just don't think I'm a very angry person," you said with a shrug. No one had ever mentioned that part of you, but now that you thought on it, you really didn't get angry very often at all. In fact, there wasn't a single person you hated. You weren't sure that was a good thing.

"How?" He asked, confounded.

"All you really need to do is think, 'what will I get out of being angry? This thing I'm being asked to do, does it really affect me all that much? What will I lose from helping this person?' I don't know," you sighed, "it just works for me."

"I think I participate in too many prank wars to never be angry," he said, sparking a laugh out of you.

"Really? I didn't take you as the type for prank wars," you chuckled, tilting your head curiously.

"I act very different around other people. You're just.. special," he said, practically whispering the last word, but it still caught your attention. "Honestly, just ask around the museum. I'm kind of an asshole."

"You can't be _that_ bad," you said, hoping to God he really wasn't that bad. In the past, men who claimed they were an asshole, usually were assholes. Every now and then they were incorrect, but you'd seen this type of situation play out enough to be fittingly curious and cautious.

"I hope not. I just like to see how bad ideas play out, and I'm willing to do stupid things every now and then," he said with a shrug, chuckling when he saw you smile.

"Stupid sometimes just means fun," you pointed out, to which he fully agreed.

"People sometimes lose sight of that, you know? They forget that beneath everything there's still a child that loves running around, and doing what they want to regardless of how the world views them. I feel like sometimes I cling to that too much," he said, looking back down to the ground.

"You lost a good deal of your life to horrid events. I think it's alright if you have fun every now and then," you said, half teasing and half giving genuine advice. Fortunately he understood you, nodding as he looked back up to you, a faint blush on his nose and cheeks.

"Maybe you're right," he mumbled.

"Ahk, you compliment me and other people a lot, but I don't think you see that you're worth compliment as well," you said, the thought occurring to you only as he looked away shyly. Scooting closer to him, you pressing your hand against his jawline, moving him to look at you. "You have been through so much and you came out of it smiling. That is a power very few people have, and I'm not negating your struggle by saying it was an automatic thing, I understand that this peace you've found might've taken a long time to create. But it's that power, the power to look at what you have and create happiness, that is something that makes you incredibly special. Not only that but you still have a connection to your home, you still care about other people. You're kind, and intelligent, and funny, and those seem like common traits but they're really not. True intelligence, the willingness to grow past your mistakes and look back and _not_ be ashamed by that, you have that ability. I admire you so much."

Wordlessly he moved into your touch, his arms wrapping around your middle as he dug his face into the crook of your neck, breathing softly against your skin. His hand placed low on your back moved up, stroking softly at the back of your neck. Hesitant at first, you reciprocated, wrapping your arms around him and playing with his hair that tickled your cheek.

"I'm so scared," he murmured, hot tears running down to your shoulder.

"So am I."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey havent said this yet but if you're here, thank you for reading and you've got the biggest attention span to read thru all this bullshit. thank u


	19. Running With the Jackals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What harm can a human cause a God whose head touches the heavens?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kind of long so apologies

Time was not a familiar concept to the Duat, as there was no sky, no moon or sun, and no stars either. The absence of time didn't affect you positively or negatively until Hathor woke you up from your slumber, shouting loudly down into the tunnel till her voice reached you. Grumbling and moaning, you tried sitting up. You had quite the difficulty with that for some reason, and for a moment you wondered why, until you noticed that you and Ahk had become a mess of cloth and limbs in your sleep. It made enough sense – your last memory of the night before was you hugging each other tight, making silent promises of protection.

Forcing yourself upright disturbed Ahk, who had somehow slept through Hathor's cacophonous yelling. Humming discontentedly, he sat up alongside you, leaning against your shoulder.

"What time is it?" He asked in a mumble, still clearly exhausted.

"I don't think clocks exist here," you told him quietly, looking up at the still-twinkling ceiling and hoping its brightness would shake you awake.

"What's a clock?"

"... never mind. Come on," you said, grunting as you stood. Offering your hand to him, he grasped it, and you helped him to his feet.

Reluctantly you left the soft moss of the cave, climbing back into the humid, rocky tunnel, and making your way out of it without major complaint. Ahk followed behind you, stumbling over loose gravel before standing beneath the black and grey sky. He brushed himself off before offering Hathor a childlike smile. You would've laughed, after all standing beside her he looked quite a lot like a small child, but instead you just smiled, and melded back into the background.

"If you wish I can lead you to the tablet, but you can take detours if you'd like. The lake of fire is a rather popular option," Hathor said as the three of you started off again, walking down the long, thin ravine.

"I'd like to get my tablet back as soon as possible, but I think it'd be good if we were more prepared than we are now, considering we don't really know what to expect," Ahk said, contemplating his words well and looking to you for agreement. You nodded, and he looked back up to Hathor.

"You don't stand a chance against Anubis," she said, a comment that had the both of you irritated and panicked. That wasn't the only thing she had to say, though, and you bit at your cheek when she continued. "He stands a relentless guard around that tablet. He knows you're coming... I think Ma'at told him. Not sure about that, though. Apologies."

"No apology necessary," Ahk said, looking to you and rolling his eyes at Anubis. Covering your mouth with your hand, you tried your hardest not to giggle – somehow you two found humor in Ma'at's cold-truth rule. "(Y/N)? What say you?"

"Personally I want to get the tablet. I don't think we'll ever feel ready, but we got a good amount of sleep and I don't feel hungry," you said with a shrug, recalling your earlier fear that you'd need to find food in Duat. Apparently not; only then did you realize that Ahk didn't turn to stone, and neither of you felt thirst or hunger.

"Things go into a sort of stasis, here in the Duat... that's why you haven't turned to dust and bone yet," she said in a chipper tone, smiling brightly at Ahk, who looked rather unsettled by the thought of turning to dust. You couldn't really blame him.

"How comforting," he grumbled, his hand tightening around the grip of his dagger.

"Don't worry about it! I will take good care of you," Hathor assured him, patting him gently on the back with her large hand. The entirety of her hand covered up half of his back, and he stumbled forward when she patted him, quickly regaining his balance in hopes that she didn't notice. She didn't notice. You attributed that to the fact that she was too tall to see him properly.

"Have you ever been in a fight before?" You asked in hopes of learning more about Egyptian mythology. The stories from Egypt were so ancient that a good lot of them made zero sense and melded with other stories, leaving a great deal of confusion. Hathor turned into Sehkmet at one point, but Sehkmet was an extension of Bastet, and Hathor was mentioned to be the mother of all Gods, but she's also Ra's mother and daughter (at the same time), as well as having a sexual relationship with Ra, though that part was more expected. Egyptians sure did love their incest.

"I know what I'm doing, if that's what you're asking," she said.

"No, I'm sorry I didn't – I just mean, I'm curious if you've ever been in one before. There's a lot of stories surrounding you and I'm curious if any of them are true," you said, hoping that would clarify your meaning. The last thing you wanted to do was offend her. If you did, everything would be over.

"It's alright! You're a historian, right?"

"Um... yes," you said slowly, wondering when you could've told her that, if at all. Maybe it was another 'God Power' of hers.

"I haven't been up to earth in a long while. The last time I went must've been a couple hundred or so years ago, but Horus has been up there recently. He likes to peruse the museums, see what kind of things humans value, what you collect and draw information from. Apparently a lot of your stories and conclusions are wrong," she said, gesturing vaguely with her hands. Speeding up your pace, you walked beside Ahk, watching and listening to her intently. "But to answer your question, I have been in a fight before. With a God, obviously. If a human tried to fight me I'd just enchant them."

Yeah, that sounded accurate. At least she wasn't like Ma'at, who said she would kill you, and definitely looked like she wanted to. But like a chronic liar, you could always depend on Ma'at. You knew that no matter what she would uphold justice and tell only truths, just as you could rely on a thief to always lie.

The three of you continued down the long path, anxiousness slipping away the longer you spent there. Somehow, the land already became familiar – the grey sky, the black rock and dirt surrounding you, it felt more alive than anything you'd seen before. Maybe that was the point of the Duat, after all. In all technicality it was still a home for Gods, and no matter what occurred there, it would still remain a home. That emotion, that warmth bubbling up in your stomach and soothing your aching heartbeat, humans rarely felt that, if ever, and you had difficulty remembering the last time you felt safe and protected from everything. Even with the mortal danger you'd been through, regular life was still awaiting you upon your return. Staring up at the clouded sky, the distant sparks of fire and flame on mountaintops and in the air, you wondered (and not for the first time) if you wanted to return home. Things were much simpler when you didn't have to worry about your work duties.

A slow adrenaline overtook your head, poisoning a certain type of anxiety into your thoughts. Hathor would fight Anubis, she brought the subject up herself, but it didn't stop you from worrying that maybe she would get hurt. Maybe she wouldn't be enough. Maybe she would turn on you – no part of you expected her to turn, but that outcome remained a theoretical ending nevertheless. With shaky breath you continued forward, ignoring your fears and focusing on the conversation Ahk and Hathor held.

"Actually, I never got to visiting Dendera. I meant to, but after the invasion there wasn't much time, and you know what happened after that," Ahk said, motioning wildly with his hands as Hathor listened intently.

"That's a shame. I've visited there quite often, in disguise of course. The people are usually very kind! That, and uh, very drunk," she said with a sweet giggle, one that sent butterflies into your stomach. Her smile glowed in a heavenly halo, too bright for you to look directly at, and just beautiful enough for you to want to burn away in her light. If you were to fade away in her presence, you wouldn't carry a single regret or shame.

"I know! They live such a - such a relaxed, like just _fun_ way of life, it's so different from Memphis. I met some citizens of that city though, once. Around your festival, they came 'round and Gods it was fun to have them around. Very loud, though – I had this friend, well, sort of friend," Ahk said, recalling his life with great joy. "Her name was Panya, and she lived in the center of the city, near all these markets and taverns and such, right? I saw her during a festival at one point, she kept going on and on about how little she'd slept. Actually, she ended up sleeping in my bed throughout the party. I on the other hand got _very_ drunk."

"That is the best way to live life, young man!" Hathor laughed, patting Ahk on the back so hard he stumbled forward. You hid your laugh behind a small smile.

"I know, right?! I remember the -"

"Shh," Hathor interrupted him, suddenly halting in the middle of the path. You moved forward to stand beside them, waiting to see what Hathor was doing, casting only a cursory glance at Ahk. "We're getting close."

"How can you tell?" Ahk whispered curiously, taking small, careful steps when Hathor began walking again. You mimicked their pace, staring at your feet to prevent from stumbling over loose rocks.

"You can taste Anubis' resentment in the air," she murmured, leaning down slightly so the two of you could hear her better. Ahk nodded with a quiet 'ah.'

How comforting the thought of that was – Anubis, a God of death holding resentment so bitter that it could be tasted from far away, all of that hatred for you and Ahk directly. A nervous jitter ran down your arms, cooling your skin till you shivered. All the gods you'd met so far had presented themselves in fully human forms, without animal heads or bodies, and with every step you took you prayed Anubis would be in a human form. Dying by being squished or stabbed didn't feel too bad, but being torn apart by razor sharp jackal teeth did not sound appetizing in any way.

Clutching onto that fear that presented itself as hope, your senses heightened, triggered by any distant movement. You stayed close by Ahk, who did the same for you. Together, hands entwined careful and tight, you remained that everlasting hope for each other, something easily called upon and happily delivered. There was no more time to think on your relationship with him or the world, and there was no more time to wonder if you would come back alive. All that began to matter was the second you immediately existed on, and staying just alive and sane enough to see the next second. That task started out easy, but with every minute you grew closer, it twisted and morphed into something unattainable. Fear was a hell of a drug, and it intoxicated your heart and head. Time slowed, your surroundings dissipating from your view till you saw the black feet of a giant, leading up strong calves, up a hardened torso, and into the pitch black eyes of him –

Anubis.

Your hands began to shake, matching your heartbeat that sped up tenfold. Ahk gripped your hand tighter, and you gripped him back, both of you unable to tear away from Anubis' stare. He must've stood at the height of a fifty floor building – it was hard to be exact, but from your standpoint you looked to be the size of his ear. To your immense relief, he did not have a jackal head, and was entirely human.

"Hathor," he said in a deep voice, the bass of it surprising you. The ground seemed to shake with his force.

"Anubis. Good to see you," Hathor replied, words that made you look to her. Reflexively you jumped backwards, shocked by her very sudden height change, going from two or so feet taller than you to several hundred feet taller than you. Looking up at the two of them with wide eyes, they looked to be on equal ground.

"You're not early enough, or... you’re too late," Anubis said as though he was trying to remember which one was the correct phrase. "Osiris is searching for a way to destroy this ungodly magic."

"But he hasn't found it yet," Hathor said, smirking. "These two humans are nothing if not determined."

"I am aware," he said coldly, kneeling to stare at the two of you, scanning your awestruck expressions with little interest. Nothing survived in your head except the sight of him – in that moment you lost awareness of Ahk, of Hathor, of the world and the Duat. All that existed was Anubis in his menacing entirety. He stood and spoke, "but all your determination means nothing. Your hardships are nothing to me. I have endured what you have brought upon yourself a thousand times over and I still stand above you, I tower above you, and I _will_ destroy you."

"You're so dramatic," Hathor huffed, rolling her eyes. "It's just a tablet. All it does is bring a single building to life and it only does it in the night."

"None of you have _any_ clue as to how that affects me!" Anubis growled, his tone suddenly rising above the rush of your heartbeat in your ears. "I can feel it every time, like daggers running down my skin, every time you wake up," he turned to face Ahk directly, who was looking like he'd rather not be there, "I can feel everything inside me telling me how wrong it is, telling me how sick your practice is. It is an unbearable pain."

"Enough of your complaining," Hathor said in a stern voice that had you shivering. You hadn't yet seen her mad, and it was certainly a sight to behold, and not a good one. "Where is the tablet?"

"I do not answer to you," Anubis said, a quiet warning against the three of you. "Are you really going to jeopardize your status for two humans?"

A shot of adrenaline ran through Hathor, pulsing in her empty veins and melding with a pent up hatred. It toxicated her so deeply that her next movement was a quick, sharp punch to Anubis' nose, grinding her fist into his skin till it broke and bled glowing, white blood. Gasping involuntarily you stumbled backwards, taking Ahk with you as you pressed yourself against the mountain wall. She pulled back, standing straight as Anubis crouched, the white blood pouring onto the ground like a waterfall. Slowly he stood, coming to her height once more, their heads touching the sky as they stared at each other, waiting for who would make the next move.

Black dust and fog began to fall from him, dripping like smoke off his body as it rested on the ground. Watching it curiously, the smog began to take form, black and brown jackals forming from nothing before racing forward, teeth nashing and alert, their growls pushing you to defend Hathor. Your fear did not vanish as you expected it to, and you did not feel any comfort as you stood with knife in hand. All the stories you read didn't quite depict the emotion you felt, a feeling of duty, a promise you never made overtaking your actions. Stammering over quiet words, Ahk followed your trail.

High above your heads Anubis drew iron fans from behind his back, their edges razor sharp as he made the first move, rushing forward ready to slice Hathor in half. You could do little to aid Hathor's fight, so you focused your energy on the jackals running straight towards her. If you couldn't attack Anubis, you could protect Hathor from his canine servants, and the moment you came between them and her, Ahk stood beside you, his long dagger already unsheathed.

Holding your knife at the ready, you kept your eye on the closest jackal, swinging as hard as you could when it jumped at you. Its' paws landed on your shoulders, knocking you to the ground as claws dug into your skin. Your slash had done its job though – it bled black smoke, falling onto you in an ice cold haze. With one more jab at the jackal's chest, it fell over and onto the ground, dissipating into nothing. You would deal with your guilt of killing later. Now, you prepared yourself once more, your slashing and stabs gaining more and more precision the longer you worked at it.

They began to crowd around you, teeth digging into your legs and clothes, ripping apart the cloth and hooking into your skin, dragging and peeling it off of you. As you tried to reach for the neck of a jackal in your grasp, another came up behind you, its' back claws digging into your ankles and holding you in place. Yelping from the pain, you dug your knife in once more. It died in your hold, leaving you with the other holding you down. Twisting around you tried to calculate where it was, but with every turn it followed you, pinning you into place as more bounded closer, paws digging into the soft earth beneath you as they approached. A small yelp came from behind you, the weight on your heels suddenly vanishing.

"You alright?" Ahk asked from behind you, panting and covered in black dust.

"Will be," you breathed out, keeping your grip on the knife constant, ready for the next wave. A few of them had already made their way to Hathor, slipping past your weak barrier. Fortunately just a few didn't mean anything to her – you and Ahk rid of any amount of them that would've been significant towards their fight.

Every step you took became agony, the holes left from the jackal's claws in your heel bleeding and squishing beneath your weight. Flooded with pure fear, you could barely feel them if you didn't think on it, and you used that psychology to your advantage. It would all come back when you finally relaxed, you knew that, but there were more important things to think about, like the three jackals leaping towards you.

Like casting a rainbow into the sky you ripped your knife through the air, cutting clean through the snouts of the three dogs, a cruel sight that had you grimacing. They fell onto you still, their weight pulling you to the ground till they faded into smoke. Quickly regaining your stance you rushed forward, skidding on the ground and sliding beneath a particularly large jackal, cutting through its stomach. Smoke covered your face, painting your skin a dull black. From your knelt position on the ground you cut through the next jackal's paws, slicing off its' legs, and paying your decisions no attention as another came from beside you. It tried biting at your head, desperate to crush your skull between its jaws. Instinctively you raised your arm to protect yourself, letting the teeth sink into your forearm just to avoid them sinking into your head. A scream came from you, an involuntary noise that brought tears to your eyes, their heat burning down your cheeks just as your blood ran down your arm, dripping onto your face. Handling your knife as tight as you could you dug into its' chest, ripping through it till the bones cracked and the jackal fell to the ground.

A thick layer of smoke now covered the ground, making it hard to see your feet. As you walked through it it moved like water, surrounding the earth, the layer thick with the stench of your iron blood. Standing once more you looked to Ahk, seeing a jackal upon his chest forcing him to the ground. Another bit at his leg, the cloth tearing till you saw the bite marks in his skin, the blood dripping and pooling along the misty ground. Bolting forward you grabbed the dog by its' scruff, raising it till it stood on its' hind legs. There you drove your knife into its' chest, watching as it yelped and whined before fading into smoke. By now you realized the easiest method was to aim for the heart. Ahk overthrew the jackal on his chest, slicing his dagger across its' throat till it bled out. He stood with you, panting from the exertion as you awaited the next wave, both of you anxiously readjusting your grips.

"Aim for the chest," you told him, wiping the spit that had fallen from your mouth. You hadn't even noticed that you weren't swallowing any more, or breathing – nothing mattered except that your heart was still beating, and Ahk was still alive.

"I've been cutting the throats," he mumbled, falling to his knees as you waited, watching the massive feet of Anubis move and just _waiting_ for more jackals to spring from his step.

"That works too," you said as you sat close beside him, finding yourself exhausted. Your entire body ached, covered in black dust and your own blood that had yet to crust over, some wounds still bleeding heavily.

"Here," Ahk said with a grunt, adjusting himself as he ripped up part of his scarf. Stammering you tried to ask him what he was doing, that was his favorite scarf after all, but he just sat you down, pulling your ankles into his lap. "You've got holes in your feet."

Gingerly he wrapped them, the material wound tight around your bones. Blood seeped halfway through the bindings before they became thick enough to no longer show. As he worked you did your best to breathe, keeping an eye on Anubis and Hathor while still watching Ahk, thankful in every way for his friendship.

Far above your heads Hathor had pulled out a golden scythe, the top of it formed more like an ax than a double-sided scythe. Intricate lapis decorations trailed up from the hilt into the scythe itself, depicting flowers and stories, all of that blurred by glowing white blood. She hooked the flat edge of the blade around Anubis' neck, pulling him down and smashing his face into her knee. In response he dug his fans into her leg, peeling down the skin till all that remained was muscle, pulsing and pure white. Despite the heart-wrenching scream she let out, the skin quickly reappeared, crawling up her leg and hiding the light beneath her skin.

"I forget how violent Gods can be," Ahk said as he finished up your ankles, letting you relax into any position you liked. You nodded thoughtlessly, leaning on him as he leant on you, letting the both of you relax for a minute more before rejoining the battle.

In one second you were looking at your hands intertwined with Ahk's, and in the next you closed your eyes. Drifting off, your aching bones and bleeding cuts carried into your mini-dreamscape, pushing and pulling like strings tied into your skin. Ahk shook you into consciousness after only a couple seconds of rest, shocking you into movement when a massive foot stomped right in front of you, narrowly missing your foot. Scrambling backwards you pulled Ahk with you, staring up at Anubis with horror as he didn't even notice your presence.

"He almost killed you," Ahk said in a gasp.

"He almost killed you too!" You said, turning to Ahk with wide eyes. How had he noticed you being in danger before himself being in danger?

"Details, details," he said, grunting as he stood, pulling you up to stand beside him. "I say we climb up, do some stabbing."

"You really want to anger him further?" You asked, looking back up at Anubis, his enraged eyes and the pure hatred seething from every word he said. Not that either of you could understand him – both of you had no idea what kind of language Gods spoke.

"I don't think he can get any angrier," Ahk pointed out, and with a hesitant shrug it was agreed upon.

Ahk stepped forward, gripping onto the shoes Anubis wore, the leather winding up his black legs in thin strands. Rushing to the other side of Anubis you gripped onto his right leg, scaling up the inside of his leg. The shoes ended up being of great help to you, giving easy access to the more sensitive skin higher up his thigh, which both you and Ahk eagerly dug your knives into. You knew it wouldn't do much, but you were ready to repeat this process over and over again till pools of his blood drowned out the smoke covering the ground. For now you dug your knife as deep as you could into him, yanking the dagger down till it began to glide through his skin, letting you dangle in mid-air, all your weight caught on the hilt. Using your weight, you drew the knife into a long, straight line from his upper thigh to the tops of his winding shoes. Kicking your feet wildly till you gained traction on his boots, you removed your knife, watching the muscles there shiver and tremor with the injury. Blood began to flow from the cut, oozing out with a particularly strong smell of flame and rot. Covering your nose from the sickening scent you climbed back up, reaching his upper thigh once more and digging your knife into a clean area, repeating the process of pulling it down with your dead weight. Landing once more on the tops of Anubis' shoes you cast your gaze to Ahk, your hand wrapped tight around the leather to avoid falling. He'd done the same thing as you, but he was already repeating the process again, forcing his dagger in and pulling it down to create three long lines. Blood collected on the floor in a silver-white mesh, like flowing mercury.

Your shirt pulled, almost torn from your body as the collar choked you, lifting you far from Anubis' leg and high into the air. The back of your shirt was pinched by him, holding you in his sight. Everything in your body seemed to stop, holding no reaction besides sheer dread and a panic you could not act upon. Petrified you held his gaze, watching as he tilted his head curiously, examining your entire form. Hathor stopped dead along with Ahk, everything falling silent as you awaited your fate.

"I'll make you a deal," Anubis said in the quiet, still looking to you although you could tell he was speaking with Ahk. Panting, Ahk sheathed his dagger, letting Anubis continue. "You can have your tablet back, if I can keep this one."

... _huh_?

You looked to Ahk, who was equally confused.

_What_?!

"Absolutely not," Ahk gritted out, his grip on Anubis' shoe growing tighter till his knuckles turned white.

Anubis cast a cursory glance at Ahk before shrugging, loosening his grip on you and letting you fall to the floor. A shriek left you, followed by Ahk calling your name, reaching for you as you hurtled to the ground. He wouldn't be able to reach you, you knew that, and even if he did the fall would kill both of you, and in that single moment all you could think of was _Oh god, I love you Ahk, I love you, I'm sorry_, and nothing else. Wind rushed against your ears, blood pounding in your head as your back hit something squishy. Opening your eyes, you felt the hand beneath you, looking up to see Hathor holding you. She smiled softly, letting you feel safe for a moment before she turned back to Anubis, keen rage in her eye. Kneeling, she placed her hand on the floor. You jumped off, thanking her as she stood to her full height again, her stare never faulting from Anubis.

Ahk rushed over to you, running till his arms wrapped around you, pulling you into the most aggressive hug you'd ever experienced. He lifted you off the ground for a second before relaxing, burying his head in the crook of your neck. You reciprocated, holding him as tight as you could, your hands gripping onto the back of his shirt as tears of relief left you.

"I can't – I thought you were – I didn't -" he stammered through his sentence, not willing to yet part from you.

"I know, I know," you murmured, feeling the pressure in your head as more tears fell.

"I'm going to hurt him so much," Ahk hissed, his words a cold opposite from his fingers stroking softly through your hair.

"Not without me," you said, slowly pulling away from him. Meeting his eye the both of you nodded, turning back up to Anubis and Hathor, who had already resumed their tumble.

This time you took more calculated ways, coming from behind him and climbing up the back of his leg. He noticed both of your touches almost immediately, swatting at you and Ahk whenever he could spare a hand, but he was easy enough to avoid. With both of you on alert and most of his attention caught up with Hathor, it didn't take long till you were holding onto his skirt, pulling yourself up all while ignoring the thumping pain shuddering throughout your body. Adrenaline was a hell of a drug, and there was no other time besides now that you appreciated it more. Using the energy given to you, you gripped tight on the material of his skirt, pulling yourself up one hand after the other. You reached his belt around the same time as Ahk, smiling at him from across Anubis' hips. He made a tiny wave, making you giggle. The two of you continued upwards, pinching at the skin of his back in order to get some sort of grasp to pull yourself up, never ceasing till you reached just below his shoulders, where the two of you could hang from his hair.

Unsheathing your daggers in unison you dug deep into his back, forcing a cry from him that had Hathor laughing at him.

"I barely hit you!" She said teasingly as the two of you readied to drag your knives down with your weight. With a nod you rested all your weight on the dagger, pulling it down and creating two long, parallel lines along his back, one on each shoulder. Anubis stopped mid sentence to growl in pain, wincing as shivers ran down his spine.

You both stopped when your feet reached the solidity of Anubis' belt, ripping the knives out of his back. Ahk wasn't looking at you, though – no, his attention was caught by a golden speck on the obsidian wall behind Anubis. Following his gaze you found the spark, squinting till you could see the form.

The tablet sat high on the wall, stuck in a hole melded exactly for it. In the light from the sky and from the blood dripping between the Gods' fight it glinted, shining into your eye as you sheathed your knife, your mouth falling open as the end appeared so near to you. You looked back to him, and both of you made your way down. Finding the end of his skirt you dug your knife into the back of his leg, letting yourself fall slowly down his body till you met his shoe, once more removing the knife and climbing down his shoes. Once on the ground you rushed towards each other, meeting in the middle as you avoided the large steps Anubis and Hathor took. He took your hand in his, pulling both of you to the side, where you'd be safe to speak for the time being.

"I have an idea, it's kind of a dirty play, but it might work," he told you in a whisper, both of you kneeling behind a large boulder that hid you from Anubis' view. You nodded, gesturing for him to continue. "Anubis is rather distracted currently, right? I don't think he'd notice if we just... went behind him and, you know, took the tablet. We don't have to defeat him. We just have to take it while he's 'defenseless'."

"That – I absolutely agree with that," you said, nodding vigorously. As long as Hathor kept him enraged and distracted, there was little chance he'd notice the tablet missing, and unlikely he'd notice you two running away with it. "I'll get Hathor to really rile him up, tell her our plan, then you can go and get it."

"Fantastic. How will I know when you're done? Like a hand signal?" He asked, throwing up random signs with his hands.

"No," you laughed, shaking your head. "I'll just give you a thumbs up."

"Alright. Be safe," he said as he pulled you into another hug, one that lasted a shorter time yet still held that same loving ferocity.

Peeking out from behind the boulder you surveyed Hathor, the different clothes she wore and ways you could manage to get near her ear. She didn't have the shoes Anubis wore, but she had a scarf keeping her skirt up, the end of it dragging on the ground where the smoke began to settle. Biting at your lip subconsciously you made your way to her, gripping tight onto her scarf-belt and hoisting yourself upwards.

_This would be a lot easier_, you thought, huffing from the strain on your arms, _if I just worked out a little._

You still somehow managed to make it to her belt, climbing up the rest of the way by scaling the loose material of her shirt. Panting, you reached her shoulders, collapsing in the crook of her neck. Her ear rested high above you, about twice your height above you, which had you groaning quietly as you pulled at her hair, coming to stand right on her ear. Leaning over the edge of it, you dipped far enough down that you sat practically upside down from your waist to your head.

"Keep him well and distracted," you told her, watching Anubis carefully for any sudden movements directed at both you and her. If she moved too fast or jolted too suddenly, you'd go flying, and she would not be able to save you this time. "Ahk is going for the tablet but we can't have Anubis spotting us when we run. Keep him as blind as possible."

She clicked her tongue, the only response she could give without alerting Anubis. You stayed in your seat against her ear, subtly giving Ahk the go ahead. For a brief moment you held eye contact with him, only broken by his rushing behind Anubis, where he stopped for a moment. He looked to you, then to the tablet, and back at you, before scaling the wall, trying to keep as quiet as possible. In order to remain under the guise that there wasn't anything strange happening, you stayed right where you were.

"No wonder you're a God of embalming," Hathor said in a grunt as she blocked his fists with her palms, grasping them tight before throwing him back with great force. "You stink like rotted bones."

"Oh, you're one to talk," he bit back, his anger beginning to seethe. "Every time I see you I smell beer and wine on your breath. It's disgusting."

You tore your attention away from the fight, watching Ahk continue high up the cliffside before returning right back to Anubis, not wanting him to look in Ahk's direction.

"At least I'm not a coward, like you," she said, panting. "Giving up your throne because a friend died."

_Low blow_, you thought, and apparently Anubis thought the same thing, as he let out an infuriated cry, launching his fist towards Hathor's stomach. She managed to catch him before it landed, using the staff of her scythe to redirect it into empty air.

"You know what Set did, you know how it left Osiris!" Anubis bellowed, his voice echoing like Ma'at's voice had when she turned to anger.

"Doesn't make you any less weak, or any less of a coward," Hathor said in a calm voice, a smirk across her face.

Another glance to the wall behind Anubis, Ahk was almost there, reaching for the tablet. _The end is in sight_, you told yourself, but looking into Anubis' bloodthirsty eyes, it seemed the end would never come. Hathor leant backwards, dodging one of Anubis' blows but it left you unbalanced. Muscles shaking with the fear of falling you held tight onto the shell of her ear, slowly and cautiously moving downwards as she stood up, taunting Anubis further.

Down you climbed, past her shoulder and into the fabric of her shirt, shifting to the center of her back as you found the scarf once more, scaling down that till your feet reached solid ground. You ran to the safety of the mountains, blood pounding in your head. Jumping behind a large boulder you found Ahk again, the glowing, golden tablet in his hand, and relief painting his expression.

"I am going to need so much therapy after this," you confessed, still panting as you knelt in front of him.

"I'm afraid I don't know what therapy is, but look!" He held the tablet up to you. "We got it!"

"Yes, I know," you said in a laugh, lowering the tablet from your face so you could see him. "Keep it hidden, Ahk."

"I know, I know," he mumbled, looking over his shirt to see if there was any safe space to hide it in. Unfortunately your lack of baggage, while it _had_ come in handy at first, was now a serious detriment. The tablet wouldn't stop glowing, and there was no safe way to hide it in either of your clothes.

"Here, I have an idea," you said, unravelling the scarf around your waist. Taking the tablet from him you wrapped the material around it, the glow slowly fading till your scarf enveloped the entirety of it, blending in with the rest of your clothes.

He took the tablet from you, examining it for any peeks through the scarf. When he was fully satisfied he tucked it underneath his arm, looking over the boulder at the battle, you coming up beside him to watch the giants fight.

"I've killed more people than you've fucked!" Anubis yelled, having you shooting to cover your mouth with your hand, sinking back down to the ground as you tried to hold back a laugh. Ahk didn't even try to stay silent, belting out a loud laugh that Anubis fortunately did not hear.

"We're going to have to make a break for it," you said when you both calmed down, the tablet heavy in both your hands.

"Yeah. Pray Anubis doesn't see us," he mumbled, closing his eyes as he mentally prepared himself for what you both knew was going to be a _very_ long sprint.

You let him sit for a while, tending to your own racing heart every time you looked over the boulder towards Hathor and Anubis. Gripping your wrist tight you took a deep breath, plotting out your destination in your head, and where you could hide away and take a break from running. Opening your eyes you found Ahk ready to go, and with a nod from you the both of you stood and darted down the long valley.

Wind rushed past your face, burning your skin as your feet pounded the rhythm of your heart beat. Something pulsed in your veins, something exciting and detrimentally terrifying, and you reached for Ahk when it became unbearable. He took your hand, and in that moment a voice echoed through the cavernous valley. A cacophony of a yell and then the sound of crunching – you knew you shouldn't have looked back, but you did, and the sight alone horrified you enough that your speed picked up, Ahk matching your pace when he saw what you did. Anubis standing as tall as ever, Hathor collapsed and bleeding from a massive cut on her face, completely knocked out. Holding his hand tight you rushed as fast as you could through the mountains, fear fuelling your run as Anubis began to chase after you. His footsteps pounded against the earth so hard and heavy the ground shook with his force. You couldn't breathe, couldn't think, you couldn't be aware of anything except the rhythm of Anubis' footsteps, how to avoid the trembling of the earth and how fast your legs could carry you. You couldn't die like this – _Ahk_ couldn't die like this. That was simply something you would not allow, and as you reaffirmed Ahk being beside you you ran faster, looking for any cave you could find respite in.

His steps were growing louder, closer – the shaking of the earth grew worse the closer he got, making you fumble over your quick steps. As he came up right behind you, his steps now forcing you into the air as the ground rumbled, you dove into a nearby cave, praying it went deep as you dragged Ahk down with you. Looking up as you fell down the tunnel Anubis had his hand outstretched, reaching into the earth and only stopping when the entrance no longer fit his entire arm. He let out a yell, a cry so bloodcurdling that you flinched to hear it. Even as you fell down into the cave beneath the tunnel you could hear it, deafening and otherwordly, your eyes shut tight till you heard his steps walk away.

Every muscle in your body untensed, your head falling to the ground as a sigh overtook you, relaxing at last. As you breathed pain overtook your body, every injury on your skin thumping and aching. Wincing you sat up, reaching for your pants and pulling them off. Beside you, Ahk watched in both confusion and worry as you revealed the many cuts and bite marks running against your legs, some still dripping blood and others coated dry and crusting. He shied away when you ran your hand over a particularly long and deep cut, blood spreading on your palm like crimson paint.

"I'm gonna need some serious medical attention when we get out of this," you mumbled, relaxing back against the floor once more.

"I... I'm sorry," Ahk said quietly as he sat on his knees, unable to tear his eyes away from your dirtied clothes and wounded body. You had injuries on your torso and arms as well – probably more than you did on your legs, but you didn't need to worry about those quite yet. Legs were special only in this circumstance, as they were the only thing capable of getting you as far away as you could from Anubis.

"Not your fault," you slurred, resting your arm over your eyes. Blood from the bites on your arms imprinted onto your face. "I'm sure you've got your fair share of wounds, too."

"I'm afraid so," he said, looking at his bruised arms.

"Lie down with me," you requested, reaching him and just barely brushing his waist with your fingertips. Hesitantly he looked to you, shifting slowly around his aching limbs, still holding the tablet close to his chest as he lay down next to you. "Don't worry," you mumbled, shifting closer to him and resting your head above his shoulder. "It'll all be over soon."

You awoke in a dark world, lit only by the distant light of a fading fire. No matter how fast you ran towards it, it stayed the same distance from you, sitting only on the horizon like a mirage. Lost and confused you surveyed this land, shapes forming in the shadows that took physical forms. The first appeared to your left, a dark wooden cabinet filled with large, old books, the spines worn and soft from touch and usage. Glass separated the shelves from you, ornate and foggy. You approached it, running your fingers down the oak, noting the lace design and the wooden flowers at the top.

As you turned around, you found a mostly fleshed out room with no walls. All that existed was the furniture, the lamp sitting upon the small counter, its' lampshade large and clearly Victorian. A couch sat beside the lamp, the red velvet cushions looking plush in the warm light. In front of it a low coffee table above a nice looking carpet, and a piano to the right of all of that, a glass vase of flowers atop the black wood.

Somehow, none of these occurrences bothered you, not even when you turned back to the couch to find Ahk sitting there in a _suit_. A pristine, all black suit tight against his body, a silk button down and velvet blazer matched with silver earrings that dangled down to his shoulders. He said nothing, only smiling coyly and offering his hand for you to take.

"Ahk?" You asked, curious as to what his extended hand meant.

But he didn't respond, simply staying where he sat, watching you carefully. Hesitantly you took his hand, his fingers curling around yours. He pulled you gently, meeting you in the middle as he stood, your chests now touching. You stood at the same height as him, looking into his cold eyes for any semblance of an answer.

He leaned in, and in a single, slow motion he pressed his lips up against yours, the scent of peach invading your head and intoxicating you like heavy liquor. Smoke and honey lingered in his kiss, even as he pulled away. Swaying, music began to rise from nothing, gentle and sweet, just as he was. You found home in his touch, relaxing and simply breathing as he started a slow waltz. Nothing struck you as strange, nothing plagued your thoughts with worry, nothing occurred that would worry you – not anymore.

You danced like that for a little while longer, appreciating the peace and loving solitude that came in his presence. The carpet beneath you ran soft upon the heels of your feet, but everything around you began to fade away, as all that mattered was him, all that would ever matter was him. He rested his chin on your shoulder, keeping as close to you as possible. Pressing a tiny kiss onto your neck he pulled back, searching your eyes for something you never found in yourself, but when he smiled you were assured he found it.

When he leant in again you watched his eyes closed, his tan skin warm against yours as he kissed you once more. A second later and you closed your own eyes, leaning into him, yearning for more yet satisfied with all you had.

Your eyes opened to the ceiling of the cave, your body aching and crusted in filth. Ahk still lay beside you, in much the same position as you, cramped and injured in more places than either of you wanted to admit. All you could remember from the dream was the vivid image of him as he kissed you, the closeness of his face, the soft curve of his cheek and the blush that graced him – every freckle, every mark on his skin, the gentle touch of his nose on your own cheek, the eyelashes that fluttered over his cold eyes.

Turning to him, you watched the slow movement of his breath, the lines of stress you'd grown so accustomed to on his face fading in his exhaustion. You were exhausted too, you noted, as your muscles ached to be put to rest.

_At some point,_ you thought, lying back down at Ahk's side, _I will need to tell him._


	20. Poison's Friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There’s more than one way to capture somebody.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am SO SORRY about not updating this for several days!! i spent some time with my friend danny and things sort of got out of control and she spent a couple days over at my house. also, apologies if it seems too much like i hate ra. i just fucking hate him i hate him

Something wrapped around your middle, something tight and warm – no cause for concern, just a light pressure. You even enjoyed it for the moment you could before it squeezed taught around you, yanking you from your rest. Your eyes flew wide open, immediately targeting your waist only to find a thick vine encircling you, dragging you across the floor. All around you the walls had become overgrown with the same, dark green vines, thorns sticking out every which way, tiny hooks digging into your skin. Pressing against them with your hands you yelped, the thorns poking through your skin and leaving tiny holes all over your palm. Your breath grew harsh as you turned to Ahk, finding him just barely stirring from sleep, just as shocked by the new development as you were.

Above you the earth cracked open, the natural grey light of the sky pouring through the cracks as they grew larger. The roof split, the mountain falling apart by the two hands of a giant, rocks and pebbles crumbling over you. Squinting you looked upwards, seeing green hands on either side of the torn ceiling. A great _crack_ resounded throughout the cave and valley as the stone split further, cracking till every hope of safety vanished, the vines lifting you and Ahk into the sky. Any movement you made shot pain through your nerves.

As the vines carrying you began to separate from each other you reached for Ahk, extending your hand just as he did, your fingertips barely brushing before the distance became too great. Beneath you, rubble and broken branches sat in a disorganized heap. The remnants of your temporary camp would never protect you again.

"These two?" Osiris asked, looking at the both of you almost... disapprovingly? Could Osiris really disapprove of you? He barely knew you.

"That's them," Anubis confirmed, standing at Osiris' left, looking just as bitter as ever. "Here we are," he said, leaning down and into the hole Osiris made in the mountain, pulling out the tablet pinched between his fingers. "You two cause more trouble than you're worth."

With that they turned, the vines following their path and carrying you high above the ground, removing any chance of safely escaping. Fortunately, their inattention to you allowed you and Ahk to reach for each other.

"How much did we sleep?" He asked in a rough voice, still looking terribly dazed.

"Not enough," you said, grunting as you tried to get as comfortable as you could in the vine's grip.

"I just wanna sleep," he whined, leaning into the vines behind him before jumping back, staring at a particularly large spike aimed towards his upper back.

"No time for that," you said quietly, your eyes trained directly on the backs of Osiris and Anubis. If they hadn't tried killing you both multiple times, you might've thought they were attractive, what with how muscular and handsome they were, though Osiris' green skin was a bit off-putting.

As Osiris and Anubis continued walking down the valley, you began to tire of petty escape attempts. Try as you might you couldn't break free of the vines, their entrapment only growing worse when they circled your wrists, preventing you from scratching at the thorns. Heaving a deep breath you let your muscles relax, your tired eyes surveying the valley far below you. It was only then, watching with hazy vision that you noticed you weren't heading down the valley. They were leading you up it, towards the door to the human world, and the thought of that petrified you. You and Ahk had done far too much for it all to be over in an instant – but you knew better than to panic. Panicking had done nothing for you in the past. No, you needed to think, and fast.

"Are you taking us back to earth?" You asked, leaning to the side to see if they'd heard you.

"Was thinking about it," Osiris said softly, in such a voice that made you wonder if he sang, and if you'd ever hear that. The historian in you _definitely_ wanted to hear that, but the part of you that belonged to Ahk wanted to punch his nose in. Luckily for you (and Ahk), you would always follow your promise, which had you boiling with anger for the Gods.

"Is that a yes then?" Ahk asked expectantly.

Silence from them. Not that you expected more – neither of them had proved to be men of gross honor. During all those stories you read, memorizing every theoretical plot-line, you never imagined yourself being _part_ of a fairy tale. Then again, this hardly qualified as a fairy tale. You didn't think it'd end happy, or in the very least, you didn't think you'd come out unscathed both physically and mentally. Your ankles still screamed in pain whenever you tried to twist your foot around.

You watched with a keen eye as they twisted around the mountains, the long vines slowly crumbling to the ground when you came to the other side of the hills. The sight was rather what you expected when you saw the map of Duat – behind the seemingly vast and endless valley was a world that existed only for Gods, a home of gold and flowing water, where bushes of green and weeping flowers grew wild across the streets. Osiris and Anubis shrunk to a normal size, probably a few feet taller than you. The pressure encircling your waist and wrists faded away, the plants falling to nothing but dust as you and Ahk were set gently on the ground, wind pushing you to follow Osiris down the stone pathway. White and yellow walls of homes surrounded you, the entirety of the city strikingly vacant. A heavy silence followed you everywhere, the sound of your footsteps mute against your ears, even against the stone steps leading up the street. You looked to the sky and down alleyways – still nothing. Not a sign of life, no sounds, even the rushing water running beside the paths didn't sound like anything.

The four of you soon stood before a large house, pillars five times your height towering into a large, alabaster portico. Blue lotus flowers grew in vines up two of the pillars, one on either side of the mansion's entrance. Osiris approached the double doors, pressing his hand against a golden outline. It began to glow, humming for a moment before it stopped, a lock clicking before the large doors cracked open in a gust of smoke. Your mouth fell open as he pulled on the door handle, the smell of incense flooding your senses as a strange, fuzzy warmth overtook your skin. After so long spent tending to your wounds and massaging bruised muscles, the feeling was a welcome distraction. Still, you kept careful to not sink in too deep, checking in on Ahk as you stepped forward and into the mansion after Osiris. Anubis came up behind you as the two of you entered, shutting the doors with a clack that echoed in his massive and empty kingdom.

A long, golden carpet led down the white hall, vividly painted statues of Gods and Pharaohs sitting in-between the pillars lining your path. Every other pillar held a silver plate of burning incense, the shining chains that held them clinking like tiny bells as you walked past, taking in every single thing you could and committing it to memory. If you ever got out of there, it'd be a marvel of information to record. Not that anyone would believe you. None of your ventures or discoveries were believable, and you weren't about to use Ahk as nothing more than evidence of a dead religion.

At the end of the hall you saw a throne, made of painted gold and engraved lapis, all dug into pure white alabaster. A plush red cushion sat upon the seat of the throne. Daggers and scythes hung on the wall behind it. You watched with great interest as Osiris took his seat on the throne, acting as the sovereign of all Egypt, a true King in his right despite the fact that the Kemet he knew had all but crumbled, leaving his actual Kingdom empty. He pulled a crown from behind the seat, silently pulling it onto his head. The curved crown of Upper Egypt. As powerful as he looked, there was a loneliness in his eyes – the knowledge that he was alone, that he was... pitiful, in a way. You almost felt sorry for him.

The feeling of pity vanished the second you saw a large cage to the side of the throne, the door swung wide open with a lock hanging off it. Anubis pushed you forward, corralling you and Ahk into the cage where he shut the door behind you, melding the stone together with nothing more than a firm grip on it.

"At first I thought we ought to banish you from the realm, but Anubis brought up a rather valid argument," Osiris drawled in a smooth, high voice, twirling a sharp dagger in his fingers. He pressed his finger up against the sharp edge, red blood seeping from where the blade cut into his skin. Your eyes widened as you watched it drip onto his throne. _Red blood_. "His thought process was," he continued, "that you'd done everything to get here. You'd find the other ways in, which of course, is very hard to do, but you two have a knack for getting it done. So we've decided upon this."

Before you could ask what 'this' meant, Anubis interjected.

"We're going to watch you whittle into nothing," he said rather plainly, watching the blood drain from Ahk's face with much delight. You didn't pale for some reason – maybe you'd gotten tired of Gods threatening you, but all you did was grip the bars of the cell tighter, your knuckles turning a deathly white.

Ahk placed a hand on your shoulder, and your grip loosened as you turned to him.

"It'll be okay. Outward anger won't solve anything," he whispered, pressed right up against you to ensure only you heard him.

"We're not letting this happen, are we?" You asked in the same whisper, watching his eyes carefully.

"Of course not," he assured you before asking you to sit beside him, and as you cast one glance back at Osiris and Anubis, you joined him.

From your seat on the floor, pressed right up beside Ahk with your legs criss crossed, you watched as the Gods spoke in hushed voices. Murmurs of plans, things you weren't supposed to hear. While you couldn't hear the words they spoke, you could tell they were speaking another language entirely, likely one neither you nor Ahk knew how to understand or speak. Despite that you knew they were discussing you, with the tiny glances made in your direction and the mentioning of your names. You glanced around the room, the way it seemed to light up without any source of light, the way the walls breathed with a life that abandoned this place long ago. Even you felt lonely, and this was not your home. The stone cage kept you there, but you were not willing to stay, and you knew getting out would take time and precision.

Osiris would not leave your side for a long while, you knew that, leaving the only option to conserve as much energy as possible and pretend as though you were wearing down faster than you actually were. That would give you time to think of a plan, as well as allow for Osiris to assure himself of your weaker state. He'd leave you alone, at some point he would have to, and that moment was when you needed to escape. There was no way you'd manage to escape with both Anubis and Osiris standing before you.

For the time being you curled up in the corner of the cage, hoping to catch up on the sleep you lost from Osiris' 'intervention'. As you closed your eyes, you wondered if you would've made it had you never stopped, and you wondered if you'd ever see your family again. It wasn't a thought you often indulged in, but you had much time to think. Might as well think about the things you couldn't have for so long.

+

He couldn't deny that his life used to be a whole lot more exciting. Though, to be fair, the decline of excitement in his life wasn't _really_ his fault – it was at one point, but the second time it happened he had little control over it. He didn't regret the decision either, as he knew it was the best decision to make for the young King. It wasn't even his decision to make. All he did was encourage him to do whatever he wanted, and what Ahk wanted to do was to stay in London with his parents. Larry didn't blame him, even though he had little left to do in his life, what with Nicky headed off to College (or DJing), the museum all but dead, and no other job opportunities. McPhee had let him keep his job if he wanted it, of course he did – Larry hadn't done anything wrong, so there was no reason for McPhee to fire him. In his own opinion, he'd done more than he was required to, but none of that mattered when he visited the museum that one evening to find everything dead and McPhee drinking scotch in his office at midnight.

That was long ago – now Larry visited McPhee at least twice a week, checking up on how the doctor was doing. Most of the time he wasn't doing fantastic, but he buried himself in studies of ancient China, so he never looked outwardly miserable. Still, it didn't stop him from checking in on him especially since he always got a glass of fantastic liquor.

As he walked in through the front doors, locking them behind him with the key he'd gotten so long ago, he stared up at the massive Tyrannosaurus skeleton, looking over the bite marks and scratches. There was, inside him, a recollection of a time where he'd been so terrified by the sight of it – he almost wanted to return to that moment, where insanity and magic all melded together into something beautiful. Something _alive_. Unfortunately, neither he, Tilly, nor McPhee knew if it would ever return. The closest thing they had to contact with Ahk and the tablet was Sac, who knew nothing at all about his whereabouts. Then there was the trouble with the human going alongside Ahk. As much as he wanted things to return to the way they were, sending a human, someone who isn't yet dead and never has been before – to say the least, it didn't settle well with him. He pushed his hands into his pockets, casting the dinosaur one last look before he stepped up the stairs and into the employee hall.

Turning the golden knob slowly, the door opened with a creak. Warm light shone from the room, dancing across the floor before he entered, closing the door behind him. The desk lamp beside McPhee was the only light on, illuminating the dust in the air and the hundreds of old, thick books lining the many shelves of his office. In the corner was a single potted plant, the green leaves laced with yellow and brown. McPhee was having troubles taking care of things what with everything going awry, hence the dusty office, the dead plants, the empty museum, the darkness in the halls.

"No news?" Larry asked, gesturing with the hands still in his pockets.

McPhee looked up, rubbing his face tiredly as he took a long sigh, glancing back up at Larry when he finished.

"Nope. Nothing. Nada," he said in a mumble, leaning back in his rickety chair. Behind him the curtains shuffled backwards, drawn across the large windows that were originally always open.

"Ahk's a strong kid," Larry said, pulling the wooden chair from the corner and pulling it in front of his desk, sitting down opposite of him. "I'm sure he'll be alright. He's not an idiot, either."

"I know that," he bit back, his nails digging into his desk and leaving marks. It wasn't the first time he'd done that, there was an array of them on his nice, oak desk now, something Larry knew he'd later regret deeply. "It's not him I'm worried about," McPhee continued, "it's my employee, (Y/N). Did you know they're 24 years old? That's nothing. I practically sent a child to a battle zone."

"I'm sorry," Larry said quietly. "Did they ask to go or did you send them?"

"I don't – I wasn't really included. No one bothered to tell me until after the fact," he said, chewing at the inside of his cheek.

"Not really your fault then," he pointed out.

"I know," McPhee mumbled, looking down at his hands. "I just really liked (Y/N). They were a fantastic worker and smart as all hell. A doctorate at the age of 23, even I didn't do that. Probably should've."

"Wait, wait -" Larry paused him, shifting in his seat. "23? Seriously? What did they do, skip high school?"

"Almost... exceptionally bright kid, though. It's just all it does is make me more worried. I suppose I ought to concern myself more with the things I can change," he said with a long sigh, leaning into his seat.

"Hey, things will be back to normal soon enough. I have faith in them, both of them," Larry said, a statement that was a half truth. He didn't know you, he wasn't all too well acquainted with Ahk even though he knew a fair deal about him, but he trusted that the both of you had enough commitment to the tablet that you'd get it back.

"What if I don't want things to go back to normal?" McPhee asked in a tiny voice, a mumble Larry almost didn't catch. He did though, and he leaned forward, curious and shocked at his words.

"What do you mean? That's what all of this is about, right?"

"Of course it is," McPhee said, shifting uncomfortably in his chair. "But the new normal ever since you left, ever since Ahkmenrah left, it's... dull. Boring. I had one taste of a lively history and I've spent years trying to get that feeling back. You can't possibly know how this feels, that's fine, I don't expect you to. You're not a historian. But you can imagine, right? You have something you've wanted all your life, something you believed to be impossible, and then it's taken from you. You still know it's out there, but... it just doesn't belong to you anymore."

"Yeah," he mumbled, "I understand that."

McPhee stood with a small grunt of effort, opening his desk drawer and pulling out a silver key. Unlocking the liquor cabinet, he pulled two glasses out of it, setting them on the desk with a soft clinking sound. He reached for a half-drunk bottle of bourbon, pouring a shot size into both glasses before bottling it back up.

"To bad decisions," McPhee said as he raised his glass, sitting back in his chair.

"And losing everything you ever loved," Larry added, clinking the glasses together.

"That's awfully positive," McPhee said sarcastically as he took a sip.

"And yours was so uplifting."

For a little while they let themselves forget about the empty halls outside the office, dismiss the danger you and Ahk now lived in. Maybe things would never return to how they were, but as McPhee had mentioned, neither of them were sure if they wanted back that type of normal. All McPhee wanted was to live in something he adored, all Larry wanted was some sort of direction or purpose in life. He'd already published several books, and he was doing well in monetary terms, but nothing could be quite as fulfilling as watching Christopher Columbus play soccer with a Chinese tomb soldier. _That_ was really the magic part of it – not the fact that everything came to life, not that dead stories could now be told, not the people who got to live again. It was the single fact that _they all got along_. At the end of the day, it didn't take much for them to understand each other, and oftentimes they still didn't understand each other. Not everything was an easy fix, but it was delightful to look past the cultures, past history and to simply love another because they are kind, and dawn the realization that no one is truly so different from another. Everyone has an impulse to feel happiness, to celebrate, to cry, to live again. It was just so much easier to see that in the magic they so dearly missed.

+

Exhaustion tugged on the edges of your eyelids, lacing your vision with black edges and spots. Nothing felt better than sleep, not when you hadn't eaten or drank in days, or maybe weeks – no one counted time like you did, and even if you could understand their measurement of time, they didn't care to tell you. Instead you stayed curled up in the corner of the cage, breathing deep as you tried to keep reminding yourself _this is all I can do_. Ahk stayed with you, as if there was anything else he could do – right beside you, keeping each other warm and comfortable.

Originally you thought Osiris would eventually leave you. The logic behind that was that he must have other affairs to attend to, and after a while he'd be confident leaving you alone, seeing how withered away the both of you were. There was an error in your thought process, something you hadn't quite taken into account; there were no other affairs. You'd seen the empty city, but it didn't quite process that there was absolutely no one living in the Duat besides a couple of Gods. You and Ahk would have to wait longer to escape.

Some time in the days following your capture, Hathor entered the mansion, her bruised and bloody face fully healed. She looked as beautiful as ever, glowing in the ethereal light that surrounded Osiris' home. As she walked down the red carpet, she spotted you, averting her gaze when you caught her looking. She came to stand in front of Osiris, kneeling in a deep bow before she spoke her business.

"You called for me," she said in a soft, emotionless voice.

"Yes. We need to discuss your quarrel with Anubis, who's at fault, such and such... he should be here soon. You are willing to do this?"

Hathor nodded, closing her eyes as she turned to the door, waiting for Anubis to arrive. She didn't have to wait long, as the door opened up soon after to let Anubis in. You didn't watch, too tired to move your face, but you listened. You listened well.

"The story goes as thus," Osiris said, jumping into a massive speech about the events of Anubis' story, his reasoning and the horrid things Hathor's alliance with you had done to the peace of the Duat. In his speech he mentioned Ma'at multiple times, reminding everyone present that Ma'at would uphold his right to rule, and that anyone who disobeyed him would face the wrath of Maahes, who always carried out Ma'at's orders. You could hardly listen to the sound of his voice. At first you thought he had a nice voice, which he did – but the more he talked, the more it grated on your nerves. Ahk kept his hand in yours, ensuring you wouldn't jump up. You doubted you could even if you wanted to.

"This is a petty fight. It means very little," Hathor insisted when Osiris finished, turning to face him directly when she spoke.

"See, I don't think it is," Anubis said, taking a step closer to Hathor, forcing her to step back. "You and Khonsu, I think he grew too close to the humans, and you let your affections for him blind your reality. You sympathize too much with those below you, and you'd do best to remember that these things," he gestured to you, "are very short-lived and mean very little in the long run."

Well, in the long run, yes. This fight would mean nothing to them a hundred years from now, when you'd be long dead.

"Don't get angry now," Osiris warned him. "I favor you greatly as a friend, but Hathor is also a woman I trust deeply. I gave you my power as a gift, but now logic and law takes over, and I will not lighten a sentence only because I enjoy your presence. I have not yet decided who is in the wrong."

"Who – you haven't decided?! Isn't it obvious? All I want is comfort, safety, I haven't had that in fifty years," Anubis said, practically pleading with the man. If he hadn't dropped you from a hundred feet in the air, you would've felt sorry for him.

"Fifty years is nothing, come on," Hathor said followed by a rather childish groan.

"It is when you spent the entirety of it in pain!" Anubis bit back, jumping forward as though he was making to tear Hathor's throat out. Even you shied away from him, flinching backwards as his eyes grew wild, angered by your actions and Hathor's decisions.

"Enough, both of you," said Osiris, moving to his feet to stand between them. "Hathor, don't invalidate other people's experiences, and Anubis, don't resort to fruitless anger. Need I remind you of what happened to Ra?"

"_Please_ don't," Anubis grumbled.

"Exactly. We can rise above that," Osiris said, sitting back down on his throne.

"What do you suppose we do then?" Hathor asked. "I don't think I did anything wrong and neither does he. I still think you should let those two go."

"You really want them stirring up trouble on Earth? It would not bode well if everyone learned we still exist. We're not exactly a popular subject of worship anymore," Osiris pointed out.

"I think that even if they did tell everyone, which they wouldn't, no one would believe them. It's two people and they have absolutely no evidence, and one of them is only alive at night. Besides, I'm the one that knows them best, I'm the only one who's spent _any_ time with them, and I am the only one who knows their ultimate fate," Hathor said. You'd almost forgotten that she was on similar ground with Thoth – Gods who knew everyone's fate. Egyptians loved that.

"Here's an idea," Osiris said, "which combines both your ideas in... a way. We keep the humans here, right here where they can't cause any trouble, until they're... let's say, a week from death? Three days? Then we banish them from the realm, send them out the same exit they came through. How does that sound?"

"Not bad," Anubis said hesitantly. "I think it should be a day from death, though."

You would _not_ survive if they let you out a day from death. The two of you would probably be so sore from hunger and exhaustion and pure spiritual drain that you'd never make it out of the pyramid alive. If someone ever found you, they'd probably think you were grave robbing. Ahk would be fine with his old bones.

"They wouldn't make it out alive. The switch from Duat to Earth can be incredibly draining," Osiris said, something that hadn't even occurred to you.

"A week would probably work," Hathor said as she glanced to the two of you. You barely met her eye.

"... fine," Anubis mumbled, crossing his arms.

"It's decided then. Neither of you will face punishment, as you both claim no fault and find no fault in the other's reaction, and we will release them within a week of death. Good?"

Reluctantly the both of them agreed, a compromise that left them sour and unsatisfied. With their agreement, there was another option now, as you knew they would not kill you directly. You and Ahk could wait until they released you, and you could pray to God the drain on your energy wasn't too enormous to overcome. Unfortunately, no matter how you escaped, you would have to reenter the Duat at some point. If you were caught a second time, you doubted you'd be spared a single thought before death, so if you did go along with that plan, you'd have to be exact in your methods. That would be a last resort, you decided, watching as Hathor and Anubis left the hall side by side.

As you turned to see if Osiris was still there, you found him already staring at you, a look that made you jump out of your own skin. He grinned at your reaction, as though you were nothing more than a plaything. You probably were to him.

"What's your name again?" He asked, looking directly at you. You turned to Ahk, who was asleep in the corner, then back at Osiris. He had to be talking to you.

"Cefas," you answered quietly. The power of names was, for the most part, a very Pagan belief, but you weren't willing to risk things. Osiris looked much too cunning to spare any expense, with sharp eyes that dug into your soul and long, gentle fingers that would strangle you far too easily.

"Nice name. Hebrew. Are you from one of those tribes?" He asked as though you weren't in a cage, as though he was holding a conversation over tea with you.

"They aren't really tribes anymore. They live in Israel now, most of them. I'm from there," you said, your voice cracking when you spoke. How long had it been since you drank anything?

"Interesting," he said softly, nodding his head absently.

"Can I ask you a question?" You said, gripping the bars of your cell as you looked up at him expectantly.

"Of course. Doesn't mean I'm going to answer it, but you can," he said with a charming smile, showing off his soft lips and white teeth.

That sentence from any other human would've meant very little, but when coming from a God older than Christianity, it meant the world. You could ask him of any religious tale, of any one thing the Gods believed – there were so many things to choose from, so you went with the simplest.

"Where did everyone go?"

He paused, his breath halting as he absorbed your question. Both of you looked to the empty reception hall, past the open doors of the castle and into the streets, deserted and dusty with the stillness of time.

"There are... well, do you know what happens – or happened – to the people of Kemet, when they died?"

"Yes," you answered, eager to hear his own answer.

"Once a soul finished the trials, they came here. They could live here as long as they wanted, but that information wasn't exactly... privy, to them, in life. Most of the time, the people that stayed were particular Cult worshippers, since Gods also live here. But over time, people began to realize that they did not want to live here. I understand that. It takes a lot of willpower to love a place so dreary... anyway," he said, pulling away from the personal sadness he felt, "people can come to get their heart weighed at any time. So people began to leave at a faster rate than they started coming, until no one came at all, and the last person left to see their family again. They're all living happily in the Field of Reeds, I'm sure. That's not really my department though."

"That's rough," you said quietly. "Can you leave this place?"

"Um... sort of. I can, but not for very long," he answered, nodding.

It was strange, seeing a human side of the man who captured you – of course, you knew not to sympathize with him. While it was a little late for that, you kept in mind that he would not hesitate to kill you should the need arise. He must've been astronomically lonely to hold a conversation with someone so beneath him. Someone who didn't even follow his religion, that _mocked_ him by your very existing as someone who knew everything about Egypt and following none of its' rules.

"How's Isis?" You asked amidst the silence. He turned to you again.

"She's doing alright, I assume. I haven't seen her in a while, not since she decided to take a trip to Earth, but she can hold her own," he said, chuckling.

"That I know. Does she really know more about magic than any other God?" You asked eagerly.

"_About_ magic? No. She doesn't know most written down spells and such, but she has this innate talent, I really don't know how she does it. It's like she does know every spell, but when you ask her the name of it she says she doesn't know. I admire her for that, as much as it can infuriate me," he said.

"What about your son?"

"Horus? He's fine. Holed up in his room, but doing well," Osiris said, stroking at his chin. "You know an awful lot about me, about us."

"Hathor didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"I'm an Egyptologist," you explained. "I study your religion and the people you ruled over. I know a lot about history in general."

"Then may I ask you a few questions? In return for those I answered," he offered, something you quietly agreed to. You couldn't afford to not answer his questions. "What happened to Kemet? How did it fall?"

"There were a couple times it almost fell, but it had an extraordinarily and unusually long lifespan for an ancient civilization. Um... in 193 BC, which was a couple thousand years ago, it fell, but there were a few reasons for that. The main issue was Rome. It kept invading until it basically took over Egypt – Kemet, sorry – and at the time, it was mostly under Grecian rule, so there was Cleopatra, who wasn't technically Egyptian, but she was the last Pharaoh. After that, Kemet ceased to really exist, and what took its place is a country called Egypt. There's a complex history following that, but that's sort of when the people and original beliefs died off," you said, a long answer to a complicated question. The death of Kemet wasn't something you enjoyed thinking on, which was one of the reasons you hated the unit going over the history timeline in school.

"Thank you for telling me," Osiris murmured, looking rather down. You couldn't blame him, you felt the same way, even though you never knew the glory of Kemet and he did. "I have one more question for you. What do people think of us now?"

"That's... complicated. Everyone has differing opinions, but there's two main ones. The first is sort of my way of looking at it, where we believe that the things Egyptians accomplished are great feats, we admire the early technology, we're interested in the way it all worked together. I don't know why we think that, or why we're fascinated by the religious aspect, but we admire the lifestyle and such. The other side of the argument is those who believe that the Egyptians were a little fucked up, and to be honest, that's not too far fetched," you said, barely catching the words you said before remembering you were talking to Osiris. Your eyes widened as you realized what you said, looking to Osiris in fear of his reaction, but he showed none. Only casual interest. You continued onwards, a little more wary of your word choices. "People think that the incest part of the royal family and the religion is disgusting. Anything incestuous receives a lot of criticism nowadays since we know how incest affects childbirth as well as malformations in children and infants. Another issue is something called white supremacy, but I won't get into that. All you need to know is that a lot of people think Egyptians had white skin."

"They.. really didn't," Osiris said, almost wincing.

"I know! It's so frustrating when you see people going around like, thinking that people who lived in Africa were white. Whenever white people visit Egypt they get the _worst_ sunburns, it's just not logical, and it's racist as all hell. Sorry," you apologized for your outburst.

"You're quite an interesting person," Osiris commented with a chuckle, running his finger over his jawline casually.

"Um... thank you," you said hesitantly. You couldn't have him genuinely enjoying your company – then he might want to keep you here, what with him having very little other company in the Duat.

"I'd keep you," he said, immediately voicing your fear, "but I already officiated the sentence. No worries there, my dear. In the meantime, however, I'd like you to tell me about yourself."

"About _me_?" You asked, astounded that he'd be in any way interested in you.

"Yes," he said. "You must have quite the story to be a modern human in an ancient afterlife."

He wasn't totally wrong, but you didn't feel like telling him anyway. Not only did he capture you and Ahk, but he hurt you, and he would continue to hurt you. What would telling him your story get you? Then again, you would have to face the consequences of not telling him, which was something you weren't entirely eager to face.

"I was working at a museum. Just found out all the exhibits come to life with Ahk's tablet, and then Anubis stole it one night. I didn't know Ahk all that well, but I joined him in a search for it. We brought another friend along, she's incredible with tracking, and she's got the smarts to survive in the wild. We went searching for a while, had to do some illegal activities, but we managed to find the door. I can read English and Latin, so that really helped, plus I can read hieroglyphs, so it wasn't _too_ hard. Ended up here. We didn't bring the other friend into the Duat, though. She had to stay in Egypt," you told him, a summary of your adventures thus far.

"You must've faced many perils," he mused.

"A fair share of them, yes," you said with a nod, feeling exhaustion drag at your shoulders and eyes. Despite that you still stood tall, looking him in the eye when he spoke to you, even though it felt like being naked under public eye.

"Not that it means anything anymore, but I'd bet your heart would weigh easy on the scales," he said with a dismissing hand, as though what he said didn't matter.

"That's... very kind of you to say," you said uncertainly, confused by both his kindness and flattery of you. He looked at you for a moment, deep in thought before he spoke, a hint of a smile gracing him.

"Would you like to see the scales?"

"Oh my God, seriously?!" You asked, perking up so starkly to your former mood that a massive grin overcame you. The scales, _the_ scales, they meant everything to the Egyptians, this was not an opportunity you would ever pass up. The scales that measured every soul that died in Kemet, that held the hearts of every scholar and farmer, that brought every soul to justice against Ma'at's feather.

He just smiled, amused by your excitement as he stood, disappearing behind his throne before stepping back out. In his hand sat the golden scales, small enough to carry in a single hand and ornate enough that you could spend weeks, even months, looking over every carving, deciphering each meaning and every word it spoke. How many secrets it must've carried, secrets you would never know as you knew Osiris would never let you touch it. You could dream though, and you did – the second you saw it you imagined studying it, your eyes glittering in curiosity, totally enraptured in the stories of the past.

Despite its importance and all the carvings, it was rather simple. Entirely gold. No gems, no paintings – only carvings, and the chains holding up the two golden plates, one smeared in blood and the other clean but dusty. You knew you looked stupid, gawking at it, but you couldn't bring yourself to care. Besides, Osiris looking nothing more than entertained by your delight.

"That is fascinating," you whispered out, your face pressed up against the bars.

"It is, isn't it?" Osiris chuckled, placing it on the floor beside his throne, before coming back to stand in front of you, almost face to face with you.

"Thank you for showing me," you said, pinching yourself to ensure yourself of reality, as well as to remind yourself that this was still your captor.

"Of course," he murmured in a low, silky voice, one that threatened to pull you under a spell you so desperately feared. He leaned in closer to you, and enraptured with him you didn't pull back. You stayed right where you were, watching him draw closer, feeling his finger under your chin tilting your head up. Heart thumping painfully in your chest, you did nothing as his lips met yours, a kiss so gentle and chaste you melted right into it, the meaning and circumstance all fading away.

Arms circled around you from behind you, forcefully tugging and pulling till Osiris' grip on you loosened and you fell backwards. Pulled from your dream state you gasped, looking up at the God with wide eyes, terrified of his spell and his words. Behind you Ahk kept his grip on you, his hands keeping a tight hold and his face pressed into your neck.

"Don't hold a conversation with him," Ahk whispered into your ear, the heat of his words shocking you from the coldness of Osiris' touch.

"I won't, trust me," you breathed out, turning and pulling him into a hug. He gratefully fell into you, both of you clinging to each other, and blocking out the world around you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> adding onto the thing about not updating since i was spending time with friend, i'm going to her house for a couple days tomorrow since my parents are headed out of town.


	21. The Unchanged and the Fearful

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Escape Attempts (The Series)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i came home early from my friend's house because we invited people over for a party last night and things got out of hand (drugs, alcohol, strangers, 34 year olds partying with 16 year olds (i'm 16)) and i had a little bit of a panic attack and even now i'm still really on edge and i dont know why. anyway, i'm hoping that when i post this i'll feel a little more normal.

After the events following your sentence, you didn't talk much. Instead your time was spent with Ahk, speaking in hushed whispers, staying close to each other and far from the involvement of the Gods. Hathor never showed her face again. You expected that – she didn't look like she enjoyed Osiris' company very much, and you couldn't fault her for that. Every now and then Osiris would leave. Never for very long of course, but the silence was nice.

He kept trying to talk to you. Every time he tried picking up another conversation with you, Ahk would wrap his arms around you, forcing you to look away and press your face into his chest. As stifling as the wordless fight was, you appreciated that Ahk cared about you enough. All it was was a kiss, and as horrifying as it was to you, it could've been easy for Ahk to dismiss it as nothing. But he didn't, and you adored him for that.

Hunger wasn't something that could kill you here. While you did know that, it didn't erase the fact that every now and then you could still _feel_ hunger, which was arguably worse than being able to die of hunger. Now as starving and raving as one could get, they would never die. Fortunately, you had ways of avoiding thinking about your stomach, consisting mostly of escape attempt ideas and conversations with Ahk.

Sometime during a day in which you wished you didn't wake up, you began to scheme, pulling at the bars of your cell and wondering how strong they were. They weren't shale, which would've been only too easy to break. However they weren't particularly hard either – if you had no qualms about your own safety, you could probably kick them down. Of course, that would end with you nursing a broken leg, or at least a shattered ankle. If you just had something different you could do it. Something strong.

In need of inspiration you scanned the room splayed out in front of you, pointedly ignoring Osiris, who sat on his throne as always, scratching words down on papyrus. The statues were heavy, and they clearly weren't made of the same stone as your cell. That might work, but you couldn't reach any of them, and even if you could, the damage it might do to you and Ahk would not be worth it. You turned your attention to the small chains dangling from every pillar, holding up plates of burning incense. Those could work as a sort of saw, cutting away at the stone till it broke clean through, but the chains didn't look very... strong, to say the least. You couldn't even fit your smallest finger into one of the links.

"Hmm," Osiris hummed, contemplating himself for a second before he put away his scroll and pen. "I'm afraid I've got business to attend to. I won't be too long, though."

He stood, approaching your cage and standing in front of it with a gentle smile. You stayed in Ahk's arms, staring at him in a cold, emotionless glare. Noting your behavior his smile fell, a hum coming from him once more before he turned and left. Both of you watched as he left, never once looking away till he closed the mansion doors behind him.

Almost immediately following the soft clicking sound of the doors closing, you looked to the throne, searching for any way out that you couldn't find in the long hallway. Ahk did the same when he noticed what you were doing, looking over the chairs and pillars for anything. Looking upwards, you found once more the weapons on the wall – the wall your cage was pressed right up against. Weapons you could reach. You reached backwards, tapping Ahk on the back. He turned to you, pressing his chest against your back and looking up just as you did, his mouth slightly parted as the same idea popped into his head.

"Should you get on my shoulders or should I get on yours?" You mumbled, watching the array of weapons with great interest.

"You get on mine," he said, kneeling down so you could reach.

Fumbling you cast your leg over his shoulders, situating yourself on top of him as he moved to stand right next to the cell wall. Once fully comfortable, you reached past the bars, your fingers barely touching the handle of the large, iron hammer. Ahk stood a little straighter, you reached a little harder. Slipping your finger through the small leather loop at the handle's end, you pulled, dragging the hammer off the display and into your grasp.

Its weight surprised you – once in your hands it fell almost immediately to the floor, sitting right outside your little jail. Ahk knelt once more, allowing you to get back down as he grabbed the hammer. Using his strength he swung it around a few times, acclimatizing himself to the feel of it before he made a great swing, banging the flat end of it against the rock of the cell. In one great burst three bars crumbled to the ground, dust falling onto the floor as he set the hammer back down.

"Should we take that with us?" You asked, still keeping your voice quiet as though Osiris could hear you from wherever he was.

"Too heavy," Ahk said, still panting from his exertion. Instead you both turned back to the weapons wall, reaching for two silver and gold daggers, and pocketing them and their sheaths into your shirts and pants.

"Come on," you mumbled, holding his hand and pulling him along, the both of you soon rushing down the corridor and towards the double doors.

This wasn't the end of it – even if you successfully escaped, made it out those doors and out of the abandoned city, you still needed to find the tablet again. After being thrown in jail, Anubis took it far away. Neither of you had any idea on where to start looking. Hathor could help you, but you had no way to contact her, and you doubted she even wanted to help again after the previous fiasco. Unfortunately, your best bet was her – no other god would be willing to help. They were all either on Anubis' side, or no side at all.

Twisting the knob on the door just right, the lock clicked, and the double doors cracked open. Slowly you opened it the rest of the way, peeking outside just in case anyone or thing was coming.

"Is everything clear?" Ahk asked in a whisper from behind you.

"I think so," you mumbled, turning to him for just a second before you looked back to the door, opening it and pulling him out the exit.

While empty streets seemed like something that would've worked to your advantage, it was a massive detriment. There was no way to blend in, nothing that would aid you, only vacant homes that contrasted greatly from your living touch. The other issue was simply you. You were still alive, at least it felt like it, and that left you in a glow, a mark that you weren't supposed to be there. With the quietest footsteps you and Ahk could manage you made your way through the city, staying in the flush green pathways and away from cold stone.

With no clue as to where you were or where you had to go, you wandered aimlessly through the city for a while, wondering where the end was. Eventually you both tired of your search, and as you stopped in the middle of a cramped alleyway you proposed an idea.

"I think if we get on the roofs we might be able to see better," you said, trying to ignore how close the two of you were pressed together.

"Also makes us an easier target," Ahk pointed out.

"I know," you breathed out, looking back out the alley towards the streets. "I don't think we have much of a choice, though."

Just as you began to scale the walls of the building behind you a hand wrapped around your ankle, yanking you hard till your back fell onto the ground, making bursts of pain running up your spine. A cry left you at the impact. Opening your eyes you saw Osiris above you, flanked by who you assumed was Thoth, who was the one who had pulled you down. He still held your ankle in his hand, keeping you in place as Osiris had his hand wrapped around Ahk's nose and mouth. Panic flooded your senses as you caught sight of how Ahk flailed in his grasp, digging his nails into the green skin, his legs kicking frantically.

"He can't breathe," you said, your words caught in a breath that almost brought tears to your eyes. "Get your hand off of him!"

"Hm? Oh, apologies," Osiris said absently, moving his hand to grip the back of Ahk's shirt.

"Been a while since I've seen real humans," Thoth noted as Osiris turned, beginning to lead Ahk down the street. Thoth didn't offer you the same respect, just dragging you by the ankle down the brick streets, your head hitting painfully on the jutted out rocks.

After getting hit over the head enough times to form a painfully annoying headache, you reached the steps of the mansion, where Thoth proceeded to throw you over his shoulder and walk you inside.

"A hammer, ey?" Osiris said, looking at the ruins of your cell and the hammer inside. "Putting you two in the same room seems like a bad idea."

Your eyes widened as horror overcame you. Separating you would be fine, so long as you could still see Ahk, but putting you in different rooms entirely? Osiris had already proved a dangerous opponent, one that could twist and warp your mind to his will. The thought of that alone, facing that along without Ahk there, that terrified you to your core.

"You can't do that," you blurted out, unable to help yourself.

"Actually, I can do whatever I want," Osiris said, circling around Thoth to face you, where he tapped your nose with a sweet smile.

When Thoth dropped you to the floor Ahk rushed to your side, looking over your face and body for any injuries. Looking past his worry you watched Osiris leave the room, most likely looking for more cages, which made your hand curl into a fist.

"Are you okay?" Ahk asked, cupping your face in his hands and making you face him.

"Yeah, I'm alright. You?"

"I will be," he murmured.

"Take the next chance we get to escape, I will too, we can help each other out if only one of us gets out," you whispered into his ear, careful of Thoth's watching eye. "Next time we head directly for the mountains."

He nodded, glancing to Thoth before directing his attention back at you. Reaching for you, he entwined his hands in yours, looking over the scrapes and dirt covering both yours and his hands. In the silence you tried to find comfort, just as you had done long ago in Italy and Canada. It was harder now, knowing you had no choice but to let yourself be separated, knowing Osiris could pull you to his side and knowing you wouldn't be able to know what was happening to Ahk.

Osiris emerged from behind the thrones a few moments later, materializing another cage, this time a good deal smaller. He grabbed Ahk’s arm, heaving him to his feet and directing him forward. Pushing him inside he stumbled, barely able to turn back to face him before he melded the stone back together in a lock. Pressed up against the bars, he watched as Osiris led you behind the throne, never moving from that spot till he returned. At the first hint of eye contact with Osiris you shrunk away, stepping back till you hit the other side of the cell. Distance wouldn't help you stave off his spells, but it was better than nothing, and just the sight of him was beginning to make you sick.

"Don't be upset," Osiris said in that smooth voice of his, leaning against the bars of your cell. "I'm still holding my promise to let you go. You pull that trick again, though, and I'll keep you here. Understood?"

You didn't say anything, instead staring at your hands and dirty fingernails.

"I said, is that understood?" He repeated himself, a low growl present in his tone.

"Yes," you muttered, still not allowing yourself to fully face him.

He hummed his approval, turning back to Thoth when he realized you weren't going to look at him. From where you sat you could hear bits of their conversation, and though you couldn't understand most of it, you picked up the general idea. It was about you, you and Ahk. That was the length of what you heard.

You sat there, curled up in the corner of your cage for a long while. Time still didn't pass normally, and you couldn't tell how much of it passed, but the slow movement of it, the ceaseless unchanged hallway, it all grated heavily on your mind. It wore away at your consciousness, your sanity, but no matter what you kept away from Osiris. That you kept clear in your mind – you convinced yourself that past anything, _he_ was the danger, and _don't you dare get close to him._

Most days you scratched at the stone, watching the dust fall to the floor, but it was never enough. The stone never wore all the way through. There was nothing in your new room – literally nothing, not a single decoration or weapon, not even a table or painting. It left you in a state of extreme boredom, with nothing to study or view. A good chunk of your time ended up being spent leant against one of the cell walls, scratching at the rocks with your nails, and thinking about how your family was doing back on Earth. Not too terribly, you hoped, though you were sure they couldn't be doing much worse than you were.

Every couple of days (or what you estimated to be a couple of days) Osiris would come to entertain you, trying to spark up a conversation like he'd done at first. Usually you didn't humor him – usually you stayed silent and pretended he wasn't there. But every now and then he'd come with a preprepared story, one that almost always excited you, and you allowed yourself to have a little fun. Everything always stopped when he tried to touch you. You never allowed that, and he took forever to understand that.

As usual you sat in the corner, curled up and snoring softly as you tried to keep up with both the hunger and exhaustion. You hadn't fully slipped off yet, more on the verge of a very good dream, and deep enough into it that you didn't notice the quiet footsteps entering your solitary room. In a jolt you felt the cage rattle, pulling you from your sleep in a dizzy whirl.

"Huh? What..." you mumbled out, just barely opening your eyes to find the shining face of Ahk, who smiled so brilliantly you would've sworn he'd found a treasure to last him millennia. After being apart, you found yourself surprised at the amount of blood and dirt covering him. Looking down at your hands you found yourself looking just like him; covered in filth and blood.

"Found you," he said, still grinning. Fumbling for his pockets he pulled out the lighter you'd used in the pyramid, pressing his thumb into it till a flame sparked.

"What are.. what are you doing?" You asked as you crawled forward, watching him press the fire up against the bars of your cell.

"So I was sitting in my little jail cell, right?" He said, his eyes flickering up to you before refocusing on the lighter. "I got rather bored and I decided to check my pockets, and I found this little thing. Almost forgot about it. Made me remember our time in the pyramid, remember that? Loads of fun. Anyway, got me thinking about those traps, about that stone, it's – it wasn't exactly earthly, we both agreed on that. Then I realized that this place isn't that earthly," the lighter began to melt through the stone, the bars turning to dust at its' touch, "and the stone here looks an awful lot like the stone 'dead ends' in the pyramids."

The moment the walls faded away you reached for him, practically diving into his outstretched arms in a hug that had you breathing relief. You collapsed into him, burying yourself in his scent, grateful just to see him again.

"That's brilliant, you're brilliant," you murmured, holding him close to your chest for a second more before you released him, looking into his eyes with a smile.

"Not for long if we don't hightail if out of here," he said, grunting as he stood and pulled you to your feet.

Tucking the lighter back into his pocket, you left out the same door he entered through, making the short trip back to the empty throne room. Both of you stuck to the plan, sneaking quietly out of the mansion and up into the mountains. You had little chance of finding your way over them, especially safely, but it was better than being caught back in the city. Besides, it couldn't take all that long to find where you were – there were only two sets of mountains that ran parallel each other, ending in both the exit to Duat and a massive rock wall, where you and Ahk recalled Anubis and Hathor fighting. All you needed to do was get past one line of mountains before you were back in the familiar valley.

Scaling up the rocky hillside proved difficult, what with the massive amount of loose rocks that fell with every step the two of you took. You made careful to not disturb the shale too much, as too much disturbance might alert one of the Gods towards your location, and most Gods did not hold you in their favor. Osiris certainly wouldn't if he caught you _again_. In fact you distantly remembered him threatening to imprison you forever should you try to escape again, but as you followed Ahk over the mountains you tried not to think about that. It was a frightening thought, and certainly not a pleasant one, so it was simply easier to concentrate on your escape attempt.

Overhead a falcon screeched, its' call reverberating in the vacant lands. For a moment you looked up in curiosity, wondering where it could've come from, and wondering if the Duat had any other animals. Ahk paused as well, watching as it circled overhead. It continued circling over you as the two of you watched, your brow furrowing as the muddy shape began to draw closer, its' form becoming clear against the grey sky. Squinting, you tried to see a little better.

It was _diving_ at you.

Scrambling up the rest of the mountain you pushed Ahk forward, barely able to utter 'it's headed for us,' before it was right over your heads, ready to claw at your skin. He began to slide down the hill, gripping your hand as he did so. You fell with him, sliding down the loose rocks and pebbles till your feet hit the firmness of the valley ground, both of you headed in a dead sprint down the path beside the water.

"Fuck, fuck," you heard him mutter as you ran, your heart pounding above the wind hissing past your ears. You both knew it must’ve been sent by Osiris – probably a favor from Ra.

Once more the falcon cried as it descended, flying right over your head, the claws just barely running over the top of your head, drawing the slightest amount of blood. You hissed in pain, biting back tears as you kept on running. Heat burned through your veins, a heat you hadn't felt in so long, and you almost succumbed to that adrenaline pounding throughout your body. But you didn't, and as Ahk held out his hand for you to take you reached for him. He pulled you along, keeping an eye on the falcon, which had begun to multiply, as you looked for any crack or hole in the mountains. You even passed by the remnants of your old cave where Anubis and Osiris discovered you, but that was clearly unusable.

Instead you settled for a thin crack in the mountain wall, directing Ahk to it and shoving him inside when you reached it. You cast one last look behind you, your eyes widening as you found a falcon diving straight for you only a couple feet away. As you tried to force yourself into the crack its talons came for you, digging claws into your face and pulling till the skin wrenched and tore, forcing an anguished cry from you.

"(Y/N)!" Ahk called to you, pulling you into the mountain and down the thin crevice. You could do nothing but weep, heavy breaths escaping you as blood seeped from your wound. It went straight for your eye.

He let you try to calm yourself down as he found a small room shrouded in complete darkness. Pulling the lighter out he opened it, the flame flickering and allowing you to see the streams of blood pouring down your cheek and coating your hands.

"What happened?" Ahk asked in a whisper, holding the lighter in one hand as he tried to move your hand covering your eye.

"It – it got me, it's gone," you breathed out, trying your best to not hyperventilate from shock.

"What did it get?" Ahk asked, dread already lacing his tone, even when neither of you knew the damage done thus far.

You shook your head, shutting your eyes tight. Whatever it had done to you, you didn't want to know the damage – you doubted you'd be able to take it without passing out.

"(Y/N)," Ahk murmured, his hand coming up to your hand over your face, slowly tangling his fingers in yours. In the process your blood began to paint his skin, but the soothing effect of his touch and of his word led way for him to pull your hand away from you.

The moment you saw his face fall you knew what happened.

"It's gone, isn't it?" You gritted out, trying your hardest to not start sobbing.

"You're going to be okay," he insisted, already reaching for his shirt sleeve.

"What are you doing?" You asked in a weak voice as he tore his sleeve off.

"Bandaging," he answered quietly as he wrapped the cloth around your head, securing it at your neck and making sure it covered up the gaping hole in your face. "I'm sorry, (Y/N). I'm so sorry you're here."

"It's not your fault," you said, still trying to hold back tears as he cleaned up and situated your wound as best he could.

"I know, you asked to come and you were adamant, to say the least. I'm still sorry though. We're getting out of here tomorrow, alright?" He murmured, cupping your cheek in his hand when he finished with the cloth.

"Yeah, yeah – wait, your tablet," you said, gripping his wrist and looking up at him, your eye still shining with pained tears.

"I don't care. You need medical care," Ahk said.

"No. I'm not going to lose an eye for nothing. One more time," you insisted, keeping him in front of you even as he tried to pull away. "Just one more try."

"... fine. One more," he said, holding up a single finger.

You nodded, feeling the adrenaline leave you and a sleepy wave come over you. Ahk noticed, helping you sit down and sitting across from you, still keeping his hand on your cheek.

"A lot has happened," you mumbled, a weak chuckle leaving you.

"Yes, a lot. It's a bit selfish, but I'm glad you're here," he said quietly, shifting to rest his head on your shoulder.

"I'm glad to be with you," you breathed out, leaning your head atop his.

"Your bandage alright for now? Not too tight or too loose?"

"No. I'll be fine till we wake up," you whispered.

A couple minutes later and you found yourself lying on the ground, pressed up against the wall with him pressed up against you. Wrapping your arms around his middle you rested your cheek against his back, breathing till you passed out, ignoring the fresh pain pounding in your head.


	22. The Many Forgotten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The world abandoned Egyptian religion, but the Gods did not go away. Thus the search continues.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just wanted to say thank y'all SO MUCH for the support y'all give this story. it really means so much to me and i never would've written all this without y'all. thank you.

In a haze of aches and pains you awoke, your hands clutched in tight fists and your jaw clenched. The buildup of pressure paired with the actual hole in your face sprouted a migraine in the middle of your rest. With much unease you sat yourself up, looking drearily around the small cave, your eye barely adjusted to the overwhelming dark. Ahk mumbled something beside you, still caught in his own sleep as he shifted. You gently shook him awake. He mumbled something again, something you couldn't understand, before he opened his eyes and found you above him.

"Morning," he said in a slurred voice. "How do you feel?"

"Alright," you answered quietly.

* * *

He nodded absently, digging his hand into his pockets and pulling out the lighter. With a flick the flame lit up the small cave, casting your shadows on the wall behind you, and revealing the face of a crocodile in the corner. Both of you jumped, scrambling backwards at the sight. But it just stared, tilting its' head at you curiously till you realized in your dizzy fear that it didn't have the body of a crocodile. Instead, its front feet were replaced by the paws of a lion, and its' hind legs looked like those of a hippopotamus.

"That... that's Ammit," Ahk whispered when it was clear none of you were about to move.

"Nice eye," you mumbled, unable to tear your gaze away from the beast. She was a lot larger than you thought she would be.

You both sat there unmoving, staring at Ammit as you tried to even your breathing. She didn't seem violent – at least not at the moment – she seemed more curious, sniffing the air and sitting rather politely. The moment she stood and began trotting over to you, both you and Ahk froze in fear, wary of her role in the afterlife. When she reached you she did little but sniff at your face, her beady eyes glittering in the dim glow of Ahk's lighter. Slowly you raised your hand, patting her on the head, your eyes widening when she closed her eyes and leaned into your touch. You glanced to Ahk, who shrugged.

"We should probably leave," he noted quietly, looking to Ammit and then to you. You nodded, letting your arm lower to your side as you stood, brushing the dust off your clothes. Ammit kept looking up at you, something that unsettled you just as much as it intrigued you.

Wary of any sudden movements the two of you left, crawling through a small tunnel before squishing yourselves between two mountain walls that created a crack in the stone. All the way Ammit followed you, appearing to shrink and grow to fit the sizes of the rooms, and never once showing any hostility. Under the light of the sky once more, you glanced around the valley. No noise, no movements – only you and Ahk, and of course Ammit, who was still following you. Ahk put his lighter away before approaching you.

"Which way do you suppose we go?" He asked, looking down the valley to the right.

"I don't know. Where do you think Anubis would hide the tablet for a second time?"

"Somewhere either well hidden or fully protected," Ahk said.

"That means it's either in this valley or in the city," you said, wringing anxiously at your clothes.

"Could be within some of the trials," he suggested, an idea that resonated well with you.

"That's not a ridiculous idea, but I don't think it'd be worth it to try and go through all those trials if we don't know for sure," you said.

"True. Should we summon Hathor or something?"

"Maybe," you said, chewing on the inside of your cheek. "I don't think she'd know, and Anubis certainly wouldn't tell her."

"Do we risk returning to the city?"

"Let's check the map first," you said, fumbling for your shirt and unbuttoning it, pulling your notebook from inside it. Flicking the pages till you found the map, you set it on the ground in front of you. You sat criss cross beside Ahk, looking over the map.

"So we know that mountain range protects the city, meaning this mountain range," he pointed to the one you just crawled out of, "protects the trials."

"Meaning down that way is the exit, and the other way is the wall. Okay, um... so we should look for any place where Anubis could've hidden a tablet," you said, going over the map of the trials.

First trial was the snake chambers and squatting Gods – you'd already encountered them once, and it was not a pleasant encounter. Following that lay the paths of Rostau, flanked by the 'watchers'. Ahead rested the lake of fire, a rather popular trial, which had been mentioned on many tombs and stelas. Knife wielders, guardians of the gates, announcers, the gates of fire – none of it seemed a genuine place Anubis would pick to hide a tablet. The lake of fire maybe, but if it was in the lake of fire there was no getting it out.

"I forgot we have a time limit," Ahk said out of the blue, still concentrated heavily on your map.

"What?"

"Anubis said Osiris is looking into ways to destroy the tablet. We have to get it back before they find out how," he said.

"Oh. Right. In that case we ought to get going," you said, shutting your book and tucking it back into your shirt as you stood. Ahk nodded as he followed, the both of you silently agreeing on another climb up the mountains, this time headed towards the trials. Just to see if you could.

You reached for the first ledge, hoisting yourself up it as rocks and pebbles crumbled beneath you. Ahk followed, climbing up the mountainside as Ammit trotted upwards, unbothered by the loose ground. As you tried to ignore your pain, you instead focused on the rough rocks below your palm. The way they dug into your skin, dirt and dust crawling into your open cuts, the bitter scent of your own blood in the air. It didn't take long for Ahk to match your speed, and once the two of you were side by side it wasn't long until you reached the top of the mountains. Ammit sat there waiting for you, her front paws placed neatly together as you panted, resting your hands on your knees.

"That's... huh," Ahk said as he stood beside you, having just barely caught his breath.

"What?"

"Look," he said, pointing to the view in front of you. You looked up, finding a mass of turquoise colored trees, something you hadn't yet seen. The Book of the Dead had mentioned something of that caliber. At the time you weren't all that surprised by it, after all it wasn't _that_ outlandish or mystical, but as you looked upon it now, it definitely felt strange.

"... interesting," you breathed out, the words escaping you thoughtlessly. You looked to each other, confirming your silent plan before you began your descent, gripping the rocks tight as you climbed down.

Before you could sink past the height of the mountains Ammit bit at your shirt, pulling you away from the descent. You turned, glaring at her, and tried to pull your shirt out of her mouth. Unfortunately, it did not work, and as you continuously tried to get her to release you, Ahk began to laugh.

"This isn't funny," you said, unable to stop the grin spreading across your face.

"It is a little funny," he chuckled, sitting down and watching you argue with Ammit.

"We need to go," you said with a grunt, "we can't stay here."

She, obviously, didn't listen. Instead she just pulled harder, making you loose your footing and tumble to the ground.

"Maybe she's trying to tell you something," Ahk suggested.

"Well then," you said, panting, "what are you saying?"

She released your shirt, turning and pointing her long snout back into the valley. Your brow furrowed. You waited for her to move, but she just kept looking into the valley, then back at you, and then back into the valley. When you turned to Ahk for advice he just shrugged, equally as confused as you.

"I think she wants us to go back into the valley," Ahk said, twirling the unlit lighter between his fingers.

"No shit. I'm just wondering why she wants us there. It's not out of the realm of possibility that she's under Ma'at's control, or Osiris'," you said, fiddling anxiously with the hems of your sleeves.

"Hmm. I hadn't thought about that. She hasn't done any harm yet though," he pointed out, a figure in your argument that was a fair point. Ammit couldn't speak. She couldn't say that she was on your side, but it was possible, considering Hathor took your side as well. "I say we follow her."

"Oh, I'm glad we got your vote," you said, chuckling when he just smiled. He stood, elbowing your side lightly as he followed after Ammit, scaling and sliding down the mountainside. With a sigh you joined the two of them.

The descent took half the time the climb did, and it wasn't long at all till you were back in the valley, feeling rather useless beside Ammit. She continued to show no aversion to either you or Ahk, merely leading you down the valley. Pulling out your map, you once more checked which way was which, finding that Ammit was leading you towards the exit of the Duat.

"Ahk," you said, pulling him aside but continuing to walk, "she's leading us towards the door."

"Maybe there's something there," he said quietly, looking less and less sure of himself the more he looked at your map.

"I don't know. Guess we'll find out," you mumbled, putting your notebook away.

The three of you continued down the long pathway, the creek water running softly beside you. Every now and then Ammit would look back, making sure you were following her, and each time she did her pace would pick up a little. While the walk did take a long while, many of the landmarks began to grow familiar to you. The long vines hanging off one of the rocks, the nest high above your heads, or the pond that cut itself off from the running water of the creek. You tried to enjoy your time, the peace that had become so scarce in the Duat. Try as you might it grew harder with each passing minute, the pain of your eye and headache overbearing, crowding out every single one of your thoughts till all you wanted to do was collapse into the ground. You almost did a few times. But you stayed up, you stayed awake for Ahk, and you did not complain of your pain or the difficulty. He had to have already known, he saw how you reacted and he was with you when you fell into sleep.

When spikes of pain rang through your head like the gong of a church bell you'd clutch the side of your head, massaging your palm into your temples in hopes of soothing away the sickening ache. Nothing worked, but the pressure was pleasant anyways, and you needed to stay sane as possible. With each step you took pressure shot through your legs, jostling your head till it felt like your brain loosened itself from the bone, tossing around your skull and bruising itself on each corner. Sometimes you slowed down, your feet dragging across the floor. Most times when that happened Ahk didn't notice, but he noticed once, when you winced as a flare sprouted like thorns in your left temple, right next to your missing eye.

"Are you alright?" He asked in a murmur, wrapping his hand around your upper arm.

"Yeah, I'm fine," you assured him with a smile, one he hesitantly reciprocated before facing forward again, following Ammit.

Ammit reached a point in the valley where she stopped, sniffing the air before turning to the right mountain range hiding the turquoise forest behind it. She dug her paws into the ground, digging at one of the many entrances into the mountain that now surrounded you, like a beehive of stone. You'd been here before, so the sight wasn't too unfamiliar. As unearthly as it was, you were beginning to get used to the sights of the Duat, appreciating them when you could and fearing them most other times.

Ahk tugged at your sleeve, getting your attention and redirecting it to Ammit, who was now whining as she sat in front of a cave entrance.

"I think she wants us to go inside," he said, an obvious statement, but you didn't say anything about that.

"What do you think's in there?"

"No idea," he said with a shrug, releasing your shirt and approaching the entrance. As he did so Ammit stood, her tiny tail wagging slightly as he cautiously entered, looking every which way for any sign of danger. Ammit jumped in afterwards, and with a shaky sigh you followed.

The first thing that hit you was the thick humidity of the air coming from deep in the earth. You paused, looking down into the darkness skeptically before Ahk tugged at your ankle, pulling you down with the silent assurance that he would protect you. You didn't need his protection, he knew that, but it was still a kind comfort, even in the dark of the suffocating tunnel. Half sliding and half climbing you made your way deep into the earth, the humid air growing thick before it released into cooler air.

Climbing down the rest of the way and into the cave far below the surface, you found a sight all too familiar. Ammit sat near the blue pool, her paws sat over the soft moss covering the ground, paired well with the vines hanging heavy from the ceilings.

"Isn't this where Hathor took us?" You asked with a grunt, pushing yourself to your feet from the crouched position you'd landed in the room with.

"Looks like it... I suppose it's safe?" He said uncertainly, staring at Ammit.

"Should be. Why are we here though? We don't need safety," you said, coming to stand next to Ahk.

"_You_ need safety," he mumbled as he stepped forward. You grabbed his wrist, pulling so he'd turn back to face you.

"We went over this earlier, remember?" You said, raising your eyebrows. "I'm not here to be coddled."

"You lost an eye! Why are you being so difficult about this?!" He let out a harsh sigh, rubbing his face.

"Listen, I think you're way too stressed right now," you said in a weak attempt to calm him down.

"_I'm_ stressed?! You're stressed too, I know you are. There's no way you're _not_ stressed. I'd bet you're more stressed than I am," he bit back, crossing his arms forcefully.

Your eye twitched, flickering from Ammit to Ahk as he continued yelling, not specifically at you but still aggressively. He was _definitely_ stressed. Ammit came to her feet in a quick jump, sniffing the air before her nose lowered to the pool.

"- and it's not like I'm getting hurt that much, so I'm really not worried about myself! I'm more worried about you 'cause mother of GODS you've been getting hurt a lot -"

Her tail began to wag back and forth before she took a sudden nosedive into the moon pool, the crystal blue water splashing over the edges of stone and moss. Your eyes widened when bubbles came to the surface, popping in the air, even when Ammit did not return.

"I know how you feel about it, but honestly I don't think -"

"Ahk," you tried to get his attention, but he just kept rambling.

"- you're in the right state of mind, which is _not_ supposed to be an insult, but come on! You lost like, an entire section of your face. That has to do something to the psyche."

"Ahk!"

"What?!"

You grabbed his shoulders, spinning him around to face the rest of the cave.

"Ammit's gone, she went into the pool," you said, pointing to the moon pool still rippling with the impact.

You both stared at the pool, unsure of what the Goddess was doing, until she poked back above the surface. She gestured to the water, bouncing up and down on the water's edge.

"Do you think she wants us to follow her again?" He whispered, still staring at Ammit.

"I don't really want to get my clothes wet," you said, though your argument meant very little. They had technically already been wet before, though it was a much thicker substance, and your clothes still reeked with Anubis' blood.

Ahk stepped forward cautiously, a movement that clearly excited Ammit. Her bounces sped up the closer he got, till he reached the water's edge, and she dove back beneath the surface. He turned to you, shrugging before he turned back to the water. Slowly he lowered himself into it, first his right leg and then his left, before his waist dipped in and he submerged himself up to his shoulders.

"Not too cold," he noted, though you could still hear the strain in his voice. Ammit popped up beside him, splashing him as she looked expectantly to you, ignoring Ahk's spluttering.

Wincing imperceptibly at the thought of water getting into your face hole, you stepped slowly closer, ignoring every thought in your head telling you this was a bad idea. An astronomically bad idea is what your thoughts actually said, but it hadn't been the first time they said that on this venture and most likely it would not be the last. Gathering up the shreds of courage you still had you stood at the edge, dipping your feet in until you fully submerged yourself.

"Not too bad," he said, gritting his teeth as Ammit bit at his shirt, trying to pull him down. You looked to him, offering a weak shrug before you both followed Ammit down the hole.

Holding your breath wasn't a particularly honed trick you had, and it become painfully apparent when you held your breath underneath the water, panicking as you tried to look for any respite of air. The sound of your heartbeat echoed in your ears, muffled by the flow of water. Whenever a current passed by you your hand instinctively covered your bandaged eye. Silently you prayed for this to take only a few more seconds, but with every passing second fear enveloped you more, running rampant through you and forcing you to hold your breath just a little while longer. Soon the blue light of the pool faded, darkness filling up the warm water till a golden light appeared from the other end of the passage. In the new light you looked to Ahk, who looked just as confused as you. You continued forward, paddling in the water till the light grew, the tunnel turned upwards, and you breached the surface with a desperate gasp for air. Ahk came right after you, resting his weight on the rocky edge and gasping for breath just as you did.

Opening your eye you found yourself in another cave, the ground carrying an inch tall water level all around the room. Stalactites hung from the ceiling like pillars, dripping mineral-heavy water into the thin water below it, matching with the few stalagmites that had grown over the many years. You caught your breath quickly as you scanned the room, a golden glow bouncing off the pale yellow rocks. The room itself was massive, the long pillar in the middle of it coming to the height of what you estimated to be the height of the museum, hung along with the many spikes on the ceiling that dove into a dome shape towards the floor. Ammit trotted around in the water, sending ripples wherever she went.

"Where do you think we are?" Ahk asked when he caught his breath, staring up at the ceiling and the many stalactites forming like thorns above you.

"No clue," you said, grunting as you lifted yourself out of the hole and onto your feet. The air chilled your wet skin, your clothes sticking to your skin and your shoes helplessly soaked.

"What are you doing here?!" The very sudden voice of a man sent you flying backwards, jumping at the sound and pressing yourself against the moist wall of the cave. A scream left both you and Ahk.

"Who are you?!" You asked frantically, still pressing yourself as tight as you could to the wall.

"I asked you first!" He said, still maintaining the same amount of aggressiveness.

"The fucking – Ammit led us here! We have literally no idea where we are," Ahk stammered out, holding his hands up to show you meant no harm. The man looked at the two of you, squinting suspiciously and poking out his lower lip, his gaze flickering to Ammit who sat politely near a stalagmite. It was only then in the silence that you noticed his head was on _backwards_. In your shock you said nothing.

"What are your names?" He asked, his feet walking backwards to approach you. An unsettling sight to say the least.

"I'm Ahk, this is (Y/N)," Ahk answered for you, gesturing to himself and then to you.

"Ahk... you look familiar," the man said in a rough, low voice.

"I've been told I went through the funerary rights before getting kicked out of the afterlife," Ahk said with a nod.

"The hell did you do to deserve that?"

"Came back to life," Ahk said, shrugging.

He looked for a moment like he didn't believe you, but after a moment he nodded, backing away and out of your personal space. Only then, assured of your safety, did you take note of his appearance, at least those besides his misturned head. His skin, black as night matched his well-tamed afro. Everything about him, from the clothes he wore to his natural appearance was black, forming like a shadow against the golden walls of the cave. There was only one God you could recall from Egyptian myth who had his head on backwards, and paired with the poor manners of this man, it was rather easy to see once you put the pieces together. He had to be the ferryman, _the_ Celestial Ferryman, who carried the souls across the Lily Lake, the ferryman who inspired Greek and Roman mythology so heavily. There was debate about his actual name, but the general consensus was that his name was Hraf-haf. All that was known for certain was that he was a rude and overall unpleasant person that dead souls had to be kind to. A bit like customer service, actually.

"You're the ferryman, right?" You asked hesitantly.

"Indeed. How do you know me?" He asked in return, looking at you suspiciously.

"I study Egyptian mythology," you explained for the fiftieth time in the Duat.

"You're not dead though, are you?"

"Not really," you said, pinching at your skin.

"We didn't mean to disturb you," Ahk said, noticing your nervousness get the better of you. "We're looking for something that was taken for us and hidden here, in Duat. Ammit led us here for some reason. We can leave if you'd like?"

"Ugh," Hraf groaned, sitting down in the low water, droplets splashing onto your lower legs. "I'm too old for this."

"For what?" Ahk asked.

"Talking," he answered, his head tilting upwards – or downwards, you couldn't quite tell – either way, he was looking up at the ceiling now. "It's been eons since I've spoken to another person."

You and Ahk looked to each other, neither of you knowing what the hell you could say to him. Did you still have to be nice even if he wasn't ferrying you across a river? Would he murder you? Best to be careful, you thought.

"Come in, if you like," Hraf said, standing and walking forwards, his face still staring at you. You shifted uncomfortably, feeling hot under his gaze. Nonetheless Ahk followed him and you trailed after Ahk, trying not to disturb the water as you turned round a corner, the walls turning from rough rock to sanded out bricks covered in paintings.

"Ammit visits me every so often," he said, continuing to walk as he patted the creature's head. "I've been waiting for another soul to die. What happened? It's been forever."

"Um... people stopped being buried in the right way," Ahk explained rather poorly, earning an subtle elbow to the rib from you.

"That'd do it."

He led you further into the actual building built into the cave, the brick walls stretching out into a large room. The floor was still covered in a thin sheet of water that rippled with every step. As you looked around, noting the many paintings lining the walls and the bits of ancient furniture, you continued to search for some source of light. There was nothing in his one-room home, not a torch or rushlight or fireplace. He kept a bed in the far left corner, shelves on each wall and bookcases near the entrance to his home, and in a corner lay the sarcophagus of someone you could not identify.

You politely ignored the dead person and sat at his table, scooting over when Ahk took a seat beside you. Hraf sat opposite the two of you, and with a snap of his fingers food appeared before you, fruits and pastries organized perfectly on a silver platter. With wide, hungry eyes you took a few of the dates, trying your best to continue looking polite while scarfing down food. Hunger wouldn't kill you but it sure did cause you a lot of pain that food easily soothed.

"Do you ever leave this place?" Ahk asked, taking a pastry and eating it with far more delicacy than you bothered to summon.

"No," Hraf said plainly.

"Why not?"

"I'm not needed on the surface, and I have things to do here," he said, glaring. At least that's what you assumed he was doing – his face didn't work normally, so to speak.

"Like what?" Ahk asked, still looking politely interested, and heedless of Hraf-haf's mood.

"Paint," he gritted out.

You ignored their conversation past that, invested more in the food that kept reappearing on the plate no matter how much you ate. You'd seen magic like this before (and the thought of that was incredibly exciting), but magic never ceased to amaze you, especially at the hands of Gods. While for the most part your attention was more on the food you ate, every now and then your gaze would flicker up to the sarcophagus, your eye caught staring at the still, smiling face painted onto the coffin. Its' eyes stared ceaselessly ahead, vacant and nothing more than a memory of the person who must've once existed. _Maybe it's Hraf's coffin_, you thought, but the energy surrounding it was far too... alive, to be nothing more than an empty resting place.

"What's in the sarcophagus?" You asked out of the blue, the words escaping you before you noticed their meaning, interrupting their conversation. As Hraf looked to you you bit the inside of your cheek, your eye wide as you tried to not think about how offensive what you'd just said was.

But he didn't react. He stayed silent, didn't move, didn't do a thing till he took a deep breath. You kept biting your cheek as he stood, waiting for him to yell, do _something_, but he didn't. He stood from his seat and approached the sarcophagus, beckoning you over as his hand rested on top of the fading paint. Trying your best to calm your nerves you stood, wading through the shallow water till you reached him, your hands placed neatly behind your back. He looked to you, then back up at the face painted into the wood. Longing filled his eyes as he reached for the lock, undoing it and pulling the door open, revealing the resting body of a young man. Your eye widened at the sight.

His eyes remained closed, but his chest lowered and filled in slow, even breaths, his arms crossed over his chest lowering with his breath. Long eyelashes covered his eyes, freckles and tiny religious tattoos filling up his cheeks and going down his neck. Dark blue hair ran down to his shoulders, a small braid falling over his chest. An ever-present smile graced his lips, small and peaceful, and somehow, incredibly sorrowful.

"His name is Aken. He has not awoken in a long time," Hraf explained to you quietly.

"Is he a good man?" You asked, looking to Aken and then back up at Hraf.

"Yes, he was," he murmured, soon after shutting the door over Aken, and locking it back into place.

"Why hasn't he woken up?"

"He only awakes when I need him. I have not needed him for a long while, not since the souls stopped crossing the river," Hraf said, making his way back over to the table and sitting across from Ahk again, his legs facing the wall instead of the table. It was still odd to watch how he worked and moved with a backwards face.

"Do you miss him?" You asked, leaning against the wall and crossing your arms.

"Yes," he hissed out.

"Couldn't you use that logic to say you need him now? As a friend, or something? Nothing is impassable. Law taught me that. There's always loopholes," you said, remembering that one time you got in trouble with the law, and only got let off due to a technicality. The officers who caught you were _furious_.

Hraf sighed, reaching back to rub his face as though he was scratching his scalp.

"I know what loopholes are," he said, "but Ma'at would have my heart if I tried anything."

"I bet it's not going to be as bad as you think it is. I think she'll understand, especially if you and Aken were good friends," you said, moving from your position against the wall to sit next to him. Across from you, Ahk twitched, turning to stare down at his hands.

"Maybe you're right. Either way, I will not try now, you two are too young to risk that around," he said, waving his hand across the silver platter, replacing the food with clear glasses of honey tea. You grabbed one, trying your best to sip at it instead of gulp it down.

"I'm 4,000 years old," Ahk reminded the both of you.

"I'm 24," you said, unable to hide the grin spreading across your face. Ahk chuckled, shaking his head as he took his own glass, taking a small sip from it.

"I don't count my age like you do, but I am somewhere near the age of the Earth, as the Duat was created at around the same time... I only exist to serve here, in this hell hole," Hraf grumbled.

"It can't be that bad here," Ahk said, tilting his head.

"The color green literally doesn't exist here apart from Osiris. He's the only green thing," he pointed out, something that hadn't yet occurred to you. Sure, you noticed that most things were some shade of grey, but you hadn't really payed much attention to the lack of color.

"Wait," you interrupted, recalling the cave you'd slept in once, "green _does_ exist here. Just very sparsely. There's moss in the cave we came from, remember? That's green."

Hraf perked up at your words, his head raising from the dull position it'd taken.

"Is it nearby?"

"Yes! It's on the other side of the tunnel we came out of," you said, grinning.

He stood, walking backwards – or forwards, you were still unsure – as you and Ahk fumbled to your feet, leading him towards the underwater tunnel. Splashing through the water you entered the cave again, avoiding the stalagmites and swerving around the stalactites till you found the tunnel, Ammit still trotting circles around it. When she saw you her tail began to wag ferociously, her energy spiking enough that she dove into the water hole. She swam deep into the darkness as you watched.

"Um... anyway, this is where we came from," you said, gesturing vaguely to the deep hole.

"You were in _that_?" He pointed to it, looking disgusted.

"It's not as bad as it looks," Ahk said, glancing to you, the both of you knowing it was just as bad as it looked.

As doubtful as Hraf was of both your intentions and your word, his desire to see color must've won out in the end, as he plugged his nose and jumped feet first into the tunnel. You stepped away from the splash as he did so, only following after when Ahk joined him.

The water had not changed dramatically from the last time you submerged yourself. It was still a pleasant temperature, and the pulse of your heart pounded in your ears, the current of the water soft against your injured skin. When the pressure grew you covered your eye, using your other arm and two legs to paddle through the tunnel and upwards. Your ears popped when you reached the surface of the grey cave, gasping for air as you clawed at the moss and stone, heaving yourself out of the water and onto the surface. With your closed eyes you didn't see Hraf's reaction, but you heard him speak.

"Beautiful," he murmured in a dream-state, and as you turned to look at him you saw him twirl as he stared at the hanging vines from the ceiling.

Ahk kneeled beside you, water dripping from his hair and onto your face as he whispered.

"I'm exhausted. How long d' you think we've been up?" He asked, staring at Hraf grinning from ear to ear.

"No clue. I'm tired too," you mumbled, closing your eyes and relaxing into your lying position. Your lower legs remained in the water.

"Come on," Ahk said, wrapping his hands beneath your arms and pulling you out of the water, resting your head on a patch of thick moss.

"Are we sleeping?" You asked thoughtlessly, not bothering to open your eye. You didn't need to, not when you could feel the heat of his body right beside you, or his fingers resting right next to yours.

"Hraf," Ahk said, motioning for him to come over. "We need to sleep. Human stuff. Will you be alright?"

"Of course I'll be alright. Don't be stupid," he said, clearly miffed.

"Right," Ahk grumbled, relaxing back beside you and scooting closer.

"Sleep well," you murmured as sleep came over you once more.

When you later awoke you found, first and foremost, fangs. In front of you. Actually, a pair of fangs hanging right over you, dripping with venom and paired rather nicely with a thin, forked tongue.

"AHK!!"


	23. All That Matters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The End of it all.

You scrambled to your feet, stepping backwards as the snake bared its' teeth, hissing in your face. Ahk only awoke when you stepped on his hand, but the moment that happened he went into the same startle as you. Patting around your waist you wrenched your dagger out, holding it out in front of you as venom dripped from the fangs, sizzling onto the ground. It darted for you, its' mouth wide as it tried swallowing you whole. Reflexively you jumped to the side, your elbow scraping against the rough rock before you stumbled back onto your feet, trying to absorb the situation as you held your dagger back out in front of you. Instead of consuming you its' nose banged against the cave wall, the solid rock shattering upon impact.

_Snake in the room. Giant snake in the room_, you thought, but it didn't really clear things up, especially when it went for Ahk.

Your eye widened as you watched Ahk duck, attempting to run after getting his bearings but tripping on the long body of the snake. Fear filled you so ferociously that you launched yourself forward, a growl escaping your mouth as you landed on the snake's neck, digging your heels into it as you drove your knife into the scales. Balancing a good deal of your weight on the hilt you ground your feet in, bruising and breaking the skin till tiny splatters of blood fell upon your boots. There you wrenched the dagger out, red spilling over your face as you fell, tumbling off the winding snake and back onto stone. Before the snake could think to target you Ahk brought its' attention back on him, jumping over the tall scales and running a sharpened rock beneath him. You followed suit, twisting around its' writhing body and doing your best to confuse the creature, all while jabbing and slicing wherever you could. Its' tail lifted high into the air, slamming down onto the ground as you dodged.

Normally you were not agile. Then again, normally you weren't fighting a massive snake. But something had changed, something in you switched that let you do this without major anxiety. Maybe it was the fact that you'd been in this situations multiple times now, and you had a little experience, but either way you were grateful that you had the reflex to duck and run from a snake trying to beat you into the earth.

"This thing's fucking massive!" You heard Ahk shout from the other side of the room. You took a quick moment to scan – yes, it was massive, considering it took up all the floor space in the room.

Shaking your head you directed yourself back to the action, back to Ahk forcing the snake's jaws open. You bolted forward, jumping onto its' body and running across it, your feet pounding into its' flesh until you reached the raised head, jumping and digging your knife into its' nose. Ignoring the screeching hiss of pain it let out you twisted it, continuing to ignore the deafening pitch of the snake until you ripped it back out. A spike of pain flooded down your spine and into your legs as you landed on the coiled body of the snake, falling into the spiral till it caught you in a squeeze, curling in so tight your breath began to leave you. It stood above you, blood pouring out of the wound you just gave it as it bared its' fangs once more, hood flexing as it hissed. Behind the looming serpent's head you saw Ahk, a stone in his hand aimed towards your captor.

"Apep," you gasped out, feeling the grip grow tighter as more pressure built up in your head. At the mention of the name the vice suddenly weakened. "Your name is Apep, right?"

He said nothing. Not that you specifically expected him to start spouting words, Ammit certainly hadn't done that, but he showed no reaction. No curious head tilt, no sneaking tongue.

"What do you want from us? You gain nothing from defeating us," you said, grinding your teeth as you tried to ignore the burning pain of compression. "You fight Ra to gain a control over the universe, right? No other reason. Destroying us would not give you anything."

"_The word chaos contains no meaning, no meaning at all,_" he hissed, his black eyes shimmering in the blue light of the cavern. "_To give it meaning is to disobey its' law. 'Tis a strange rule, yes, you humans, your weak minds, they have never understood the purity of it all._"

With that said he continued tightening his body around yours, choking the breath out of you until Ahk intervened, hurling a rock towards his head. It landed with incredible accuracy, hitting Apep straight in the eye. His grip loosened as he was sent backwards, flashes of pain running through him while you wrenched yourself out of his hold, stumbling back over to Ahk's side.

"How the hell do we kill him?" Ahk asked as the both of you prepared for his next attack.

"I'm really not comfortable talking about that," you said, dodging out of the way when Apep sent his rattling tail down upon you.

"Not comfortable talking about it?! What the -"

A golden flash of light appeared between you and Ahk, blinding all three of you temporarily before a person took the light's place, standing where you stood seconds earlier. Ahk's eyes widened, his mouth dropping in shock as he watched them step towards Apep. You watched on, confused and helpless as Apep went to consume them, wailing and falling backwards when the person stood stone-faced and ripped one of his venomous fangs straight out of his mouth. Gasping, shock rid you of the feeling of blood splattering heavy on your clothes. The mystery person, using the fang as their knife slashed Apep's neck, doing nothing but glaring as the light left his eyes.

When you were all assured that the snake was dead before you, the stranger turned to Ahk. You couldn't see their face, not behind their afro of hair but you knew it must've been heart-wrenching, as Ahk let tears well up in his eyes and fall freely over his blushing cheeks.

"Ahk," the stranger breathed out, but before either of them could move another flash enveloped the room in a cold glow. You closed your eye from the overbearing brightness, and when you opened it again, you found Ma'at standing next to the stranger, holding them in a vice grip around their arm.

"Apologies," Ma'at said, looking to Ahk and then to you. "This won't be happening again."

Another flash and both of them disappeared, leaving you and Ahk alone in a cave stuffed halfway through with a snake carcass, that was still bleeding out nicely on the floor.

"Oh my Gods," Ahk whispered out, staring at the ground with lost eyes. You stepped forward, jogging to his side and offering comfort when you touched him, raising his head to look you in the eye.

"Who was that?" You asked softly, searching him for any answers.

"An old friend. Do you remember Mahjur?"

"Vaguely," you said.

"I think that was them. I don't know. It's been a long while, I suppose it could've been Maahes, but either way I don't think their family is supposed to be around me. Something to do with Ma'at," he mumbled, frowning.

"You're alright though?"

"Yes. Yes, I don't think... are you okay? You got hurt pretty badly," he said, suddenly attentive to the bruises forming around your arms and torso.

"I'm fine. Been through worse at this point," you joked weakly, but Ahk still chuckled, a smile crossing his face that warmed your heart, just as his smile always did.

"And yet I still get worried every time," he said, staring at where your hands touched.

"That's because you're a good person," you reminded him, earning a soft smile from him.

He left your side, coming to stand before the dead eyes of Apep, and kneeling before him. You both knew this was not the first time the serpent had died, and it would not be the last. Still, the vacancy of the corpse, the growing pool of crimson blood, the fallen scales – it unsettled you in a way you were very rarely unsettled in. The study of 4,000 year old corpses allowed for you to find familiarity in death, but to see something alive before the act was not a familiar feeling. There was a part of you that existed, however, that would not let you mourn Apep's death. A part of you that was very different from Ahk.

"We need to fix up your eye," he said in the silence, still knelt before the snake's head.

"What?"

"Your eye," he said, moving to his feet and facing you. "It's been in dirty bandages for a while. You need clean ones."

"Oh. Right," you mumbled, letting him step into your personal space and untie his sleeve from your eye. The pressure left the back of your head, but as he began to peel the fabric off your scar, pain filled your head, burning through your broken nerves. Your scabs and healing skin peeled off with the sleeve, a thick slime squishing between your exposed muscle and the black silk. You winced as cool air flooded the new orifice.

"I'd give you back your scarf," he said as he worked, doing his best not to hurt you, "but that's still covered in my own blood, so probably not the best material to use. I'll just use my other sleeve."

"It's fine, you can use mine," you mumbled, keeping quiet to avoid adding to the immense pressure digging holes into your skull.

"No, no, I've got you," he said, offering a comforting smile as he ripped his other sleeve off, shaking it free of any loose pebbles before tying it back around your head. He secured it at the base of your skull, adjusting the flat part against your missing eye. "Does that feel alright?"

"Yeah. Thank you," you said, doing your best to ignore the fabric rubbing against your open wounds. The pain would subside eventually, as it always did, but it was always had to ignore at first.

"Come here," he said, taking your hand and guiding you towards the moon pool. There he sat the both of you down, dipping his hand into the water and running it across your cheek, ridding your skin of the iron taste of snake blood. He smiled as he finished, using his thumb to rid you of the last speck. You did the same for him, pouring water over the marks running from his jawline to his clavicle till they vanished.

At last the two of you relaxed, quietly absorbing the quick-moving moments of the morning, the snake and the injuries and the Gods. The Duat was a confusing place indeed, and as desperately as you wanted to leave you wanted to stay. There lay parts of a religion undiscovered, a civilization whose greatest inventions and stories were lost to time, waiting to be revealed to the world. But that was not your job, even if you wanted it to be. You were here for Ahk.

"Hey," he mumbled, tapping your shoulder to get your attention as he pointed to the slit throat of the serpent. You looked to it, to the blood pouring so thick it almost looked black, and to the shining scales, before it finally caught your eye. A speck of gold beneath the skin.

_Strange_, you thought, but nothing more occurred to you than that. Ahk on the other hand, he stood and walked towards the snake, his boots soaking into the blood. You winced at the sight of bubbles popping up in the puddle. He reached for the corpse, his hand running over the large scales before he ended at the long cut, the tips of his fingers painted in red. A horrible squelching sound came from the body as he dug his hand into the slit, gracing the edge of the golden shimmer before he wrapped his hands around it. Biting at his lip he pulled, stumbling backwards when it loosened and fell to the ground, stained with venom and blood. There the tablet lay in the pool of iron ichor, half rotted but still glowing ethereal in the magic of the Duat.

"Holy shit," you breathed out, unable to tear your gaze away from the tablet.

"Who the fuck put my tablet inside Apep?"

You burst out laughing, from both shock and Ahk's words. All those worries, all those plans you made, and it was practically delivered to you. Sure, it came in the form of a people-eating snake, but it came nonetheless, and relief filled your body.

"Ahk – this," you said, still unable to stop your laughter and disbelief, "we need to go now! Before we're caught again, we need to leave."

He scrambled to his feet, pulling the tablet out of the pool and tucking it into his shirt, paying no mind to the way it drenched his clothes. Hand in hand the two of you rushed out of the cave, beginning a dead sprint towards the door. You left no time to say good bye to the realm (it hadn't been very kind to you anyway), and as the horizon began to grow closer you felt your heart speed up, every cell in your body begging for you to make it there.

When you realized that you might've outdone yourself the pace slowed, and the two of you hid in the nearest mountain hole you could find. The roof was low above you, touching the crown of your head as you pulled your knees to your chest, closing your eyes.

"What do you think we should do about the snakes?" Ahk asked, still panting as he kept his eyes on the outside of the crevice.

"Run as fast as we can?" You suggested weakly. He shrugged – he must not have had any good ideas, either. "Have you got your knife out?"

"No, Osiris took it. I can't believe he let you keep yours," he mumbled, switching between looking to you and looking out the exit.

"He didn't," you said as you caught your breath. "I hid it very well."

"No offense, but that sounds like you hid it up your ass," he said, grunting as he crawled back out of the tiny cave. You laughed, following him outside with bright eyes, and only unsheathing your dagger when the light of day hit you.

"Stay close to me," you murmured, readying yourself for the onslaught.

"As you wish."

Light glinted off the obsidian hills surrounding you as the two of you made your way forward, this time much more cautious than the earlier running. You kept a firm grip on the hilt of your knife, keeping Ahk close to you as you moved, checking any movement in the hills. Over the time spent in the pyramid and in the Duat, your reflexes had gotten much stronger and much more acute. Whether or not that was a good thing, it certainly helped you while you were still in danger, even though the lingering thought of PTSD made itself strikingly clear in your head. With luck the events and trauma you'd already put yourself through wouldn't affect your psyche too badly, but the thought dissipated when you caught a movement out of the corner of your eye, coming from the right side of the valley.

The humming of the Gods filled your ears again, swirling in your head and nearly intoxicating you with its' sweetness. You shook your head, clearing your thoughts from that comfort you would never indulge in. Just like before you kept moving forward, your eye set upon the horizon, dagger in one hand and Ahk's hand in the other. Movement came from the right of the valley again, slithering down near the creek that ran beside you. Ahk picked up the pace, moving from walking to jogging down the paths you watched the hills, wary of the writhing mass of snakes headed your way. Avalanches were one thing, you'd seen one of those before (albeit a very small avalanche) but seeing snakes form an avalanche was something else entirely. It struck fear into your heart, flashing your thoughts back to the memory of being swarmed with them and held down to the ground. Ahk saved you that time, and he did so once again as he pulled you along, forcing you into a run. A sharp breath left you as the first snake hit the solid ground of the valley, beginning on its' way towards you, the humming of the Gods blocking out your logic.

"I hate snakes," you said as you started into a sprint, coming to the cave of the squatting Gods and running past it without a second thought.

"I have a snake in my crown, actually," Ahk said conversationally.

"Not really the time," you reminded him softly, your voice broken from the thumping of your footsteps against dirt and stone. He said nothing, only glancing behind him to watch the snakes, before picking up the pace again. Your feet began to ache, leg muscles burning from the forced exertion. Normally you never ran – well, never was a strong word, but you rarely had to sprint, especially not for long distances. He gripped you tighter, the skin of his palm warm against yours. You held him tight in return, your fingers intertwining as you ran, checking behind you every now and then till the wall appeared in the distance.

The portal remained as open as it was when you first arrived in the Duat, glowing blue and green – the colors of the Earth. Once again your pace picked up, the two of you bolting hand in hand down the valley towards the door. Tears sprung from your eye, burning from wind and excitement, the all-consuming feel of longing growing stronger the closer you got. The snakes still hissed behind you, crawling on their bellies and tasting your scent in the air.

Right in front of you, right in front of you lay the exit, the end, and in one great jump you and Ahk flew through the portal, landing out the other side and tumbling down several steps. With that the portal closed, the dripping blood vanishing from the edges and the dark purple glow dissipating into the dark of the pyramid.

Panting you turned to him, both of you still absorbing the events of not only the past few hours, but of the many days you'd been stuck in the Duat. Neither of you knew how much time had passed on Earth, but time didn't matter – all that mattered was that you were out, you were safe, and Ahk was beside you, holding the tablet in his hands. You reached for one another, wrapping your arms tight around each other as it all came crashing down. It was over, it was all over. No more Anubis. No more Osiris. No more snakes, no more death, no more pain.

"We did it," Ahk said, tears burning their way down his cheeks and onto your shoulder. He'd never held you tighter than he did at that moment.

"You're okay," you mumbled into the collar of his shirt, trying to hold back your own tears and being less-than-successful at that. Your hand moved to the back of his head, running your fingers through his hair and pulling him into you, yearning for his warmth and comfort.

In the overbearing dark of the pyramid you could not see him, you could not see the way his body shook from both terror and relief, but you could feel it. You could feel the way he shivered against you, you could feel his tears, his breath against your skin, the clawing of his nails in your back just desperate to hold you closer. There was nothing tender about this moment, nothing that could be labelled an innocent love or even a happy friendship – all that existed was pure need, pure longing for each other, and that would have to do for now.

He needed you. You needed him.

That was all that mattered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a bit of self indulgent mahjur... fuckin love that funky little story. anyway, hope you enjoyed that, couple more chapters to go and then i might write an epilogue for fun


	24. What We Leave Behind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally reunited and returned to your trio.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> god! can't believe i have only one more chapter to write! might do an epilogue but still, one chapter. wow.

Reluctantly you pulled away from him, your lips just barely gracing his temple as you did so. He stared at you unmoving, stuck in the life behind your eye, his hands firm and grounding around your waist. At last you adapted to the dark, seeing the outline of his form against the hills of gold and treasure.

"I can't believe it's over," Ahk murmured.

"Not until we get out of here," you reminded him, and with that the two of you stood, ignoring the aches in your joints and muscles to leave the King's Chamber.

Pulling out your notebook once more, you opened it to the Pyramid map you hadn't seen in a good, long while. The King's Chamber sat almost directly in the middle of the pyramid, leading back into the Antechamber, the chamber passage, through the ascending passage, and from there all that need be done was to go through the travel tunnel to the outside world. Warm breath landed on the skin of your neck, but you need not turn to know Ahk was looking over your shoulder, trying to understand the map you put together. Most of his efforts were futile, considering he couldn't actually read English. You could probably teach him, but he showed little desire to learn, and in all the times you'd thought of that, there was no time to teach him.

Closing up your map, you found the exit through the Antechamber, but before you could take another step in its' direction, Ahk grabbed your wrist and halted you. He said nothing, but you turned to him anyways. With tired arms and weak legs he reached for the sarcophagus of his brother, wincing as he tried to lift him, headed for the original resting place of the coffin – in front of the entrance to the Duat. You rushed to help him, dropping your map and working together to lift and carry the golden sarcophagus up the steps and onto the altar. In careful, calculated movements you made it up and set it back on its' feet. A sigh left Ahk, tired and solemn, and with that the two of you left his brother behind.

He picked up the torch, dipping it into the oil vat near the chamber's entrance, and pulling out his lighter to set it aflame. Crawling on your knees and elbows you ducked under and into the cramped doorway leading back into the Antechamber, once more standing in the tiny room, surrounded by clear-cut hieroglyphs. Ahk rolled the torch against the ground, allowing you to pick it up as he crawled through. For a moment you stared at the carvings again, but you must've taken a little too long, as Ahk made fun of you again.

"You're still drooling over these?" He teased, a hint of a smile twitching at the ends of his lips. You hit him playfully.

"You drooled all over Hathor," you reminded him, handing him the torch as you sat on your knees, looking underneath the passage into the long, empty hallway ahead.

"So did you," he said.

You chuckled, lowering yourself onto your stomach and crawling. Once on the other side the torch came through again, followed by Ahk, who dusted himself off afterwards with a pleasant smile. Warmth filled your chest at the sight of that – for the first time in a long while you could truly appreciate him for all he was.

Even in the torch light, surrounded by the ruins of a great civilization and crowded with the dark, he remained beautiful. Even with the many years past, even with the many years ahead of him, he remained kind, even with the tortures he'd existed through and the pain the world gifted him. There was something special in that sort of resilience – something you wished you had. You would never compare to him, you knew that, though you'd never tell him that. With him by your side, the world didn't hurt so much, as you buried your face in his neck, as you hid away from the world, as you existed for no one but him. Here, in the dark, you could stay here forever – wasting away in his light, your memory haunted by his care for you. No other happiness need exist. Nothing need exist besides the grave you left your cowardice in, the grave you would forever sleep in, clasped in his arms as lovers would protect one another, eternal and lonely and everything you ever needed.

You emerged from your daze as Ahk handed you the torch, staring up at the arching ceiling above you. Passing by the large statues seated at the doorway, you held the torch high above your head, casting dark shadows across the smiling faces of the royal family. Once behind you, you turned your attention to the many paintings throughout the hall. Life, death, and love coexisted not as one, but as recognized aspects of an existence that the Egyptians adored. Many people thought ancient Egyptians to be obsessed with death, but in your studies you found it to be quite the opposite. They loved life. They adored it, they loved their peoples and their land, they loved all that Egypt was, but life was only the first part of a long journey. Much preparation was required to move forwards into a happy afterlife, and that was where the false myth originated from.

On the wall to the right you found a painting of Osiris, a common scene depicting the weighing of the hearts. You'd seen about a hundred reiterations of that scene, and at this point it didn't interest you, and the two of you moved forward past the vacant hall of paintings. The splinters of the torch dug into your hands, reminding you of the underground tunnel you'd first went through to get into the pyramid. Keeping Ahk close to you, you passed through the large hallway, moving into a much skinner hallway that barely fit the two of you shoulder to shoulder. He walked slightly behind you, following the light of the torch and running his fingers against the dusty walls.

"You know something funny?" He said as you continued down the long hallway. "That stone, the stone our cages were made out of? It's obviously not from here, on Earth, so it's probably from the Duat. That means that those stones that were here, were from the Duat all along."

"It is strange," you agreed airily, trying to see past the darkness. "At least the whole pyramid isn't made of that stone."

"Would've already melted in the sun," he chuckled, resting his hand on your shoulder as he peeked ahead along with you.

A doorway appeared on the right, leading into nothing but darkness. Pausing you handed the torch back to Ahk, pulling your notebook out and opening the map, checking the directions twice before figuring out which passage it led to.

"I think it's this one," you said, pointing to a hallway labelled 'Queen's Chamber Passage'.

"So we should keep going?"

"I think so?"

He shrugged, in full trust of your expertise, even if he shouldn't have been. Biting at your lip you took one more look at the map, assuring yourself that your next decision was right. Snapping the pages shut, you tucked it back into your shirt, leading the two of you onwards and away from what you hoped was the Queen's passage. If not, you prayed you wouldn't lose your way too heavily.

In the seemingly endless halls, it was only too easy to get turned around. Even when you and Ahk paused, taking time to relax and let your feet rest, you made sure to rest the torch with the burning end pointing towards the direction you were originally walking. There were no marks in the walls, no paintings, no grooves in the bricks – nothing but pale yellow walls and the dust that lined the edges of the path. You tried to find comfort in the fact that the doorways made of stone were now opened, but anxiety found a way to poison those thoughts as well. With nothing else to do you kept a tight grip on your notebook, just as Ahk kept a tight grip on the torch, and the two of you moved onwards continuously.

Another arch presented itself, this time to the left of you, revealing a stairwell leading downwards. Tapping the hard cover of the journal beneath your shirt, you recalled the ascending passage which led to the hallway you currently stood in. You held out your hand, waiting for the firm presence of Ahk's hand in yours, and as his fingers wrapped around your palm and the back of your hand, you led him down the long staircase.

You recalled this place easily, mostly because it had been so miserable to traverse. The long hours spent trekking up the steps had burnt themselves into your memory, the feel of sweat on your back, the humidity and the stuffy air that had you begging for breath. It was not a memory you specifically liked to recall, so you tried not to as you continued down the steps.

Ahk stood behind you, holding the torch and lighting the way down, careful to not let either of you trip and fall. In return you kept close to him. No matter how bright the torch burned or how high Ahk held it, you couldn't see the bottom, and the further down you went, the harder it was to see the top of the stairwell. Soon you were in the same position as you were when you were climbing up it – pained ankles and aching muscles, your feet sore from the pressure put upon them. They begged for rest, and as both your pace and Ahk's pace began to slow, you relented and sat on the stairs. Ahk set the torch beside you, the two of you watching as it began to burn away.

"God damn it," you grumbled, your head falling backwards and balancing on the wall supporting your back.

"It's going to be alright," he said softly, his fingers just barely touching yours, but you reached back for him, lacing your fingers together.

"I know."

It took a little while, but eventually you regained what little energy you could, and with that a thought came to mind. You hadn't needed to refresh Ahk's spell in the Duat since he was constantly alive in that world, but now that you were back on Earth, you would need to. The thought of him turning into a corpse in front of you was unsettling to say the least, so before you stood to continue you drew your knife out. He watched you curiously, his eyes widening as you cut another line into your wrists alongside the scars already present, both of you watching the red blood drip down your skin. Pressing your thumb into it, you coated your finger well, shuffling forward till you sat between Ahk's legs, painting the eye of Horus back onto his forehead. His hands rested on your hips as you did so, his eyes shut tight to ignore the scent of your blood thick in the humid air.

Once finished you stood, sheathing your knife and helping Ahk to his feet. He took the torch from the ground, and in silent unanimity, you resumed your journey. From where you rested it didn't take too long to reach ground level, something you were incredibly grateful for. The door was, as expected, open, leading into the familiar warm yellow room covered in dusty old paintings. On the wall farthest from you the altar stood, the one thing in the room different from the rest of it. Turning back to Ahk, you reached for his hand, holding it warm against your own as you walked back into the dirt tunnel held by wooden beams. Sometime in the middle of that path the torch went out, prompting Ahk to pull out his lighter. With that little flame you found your way, setting the dead torch back on the hook you'd found it, and following Ahk up the rickety ladder.

For the first time in weeks wind blew past your cheeks, fresh wind that carried the scent of the Nile's riverbanks, and held the warmth of the dying sunset glowing red on the horizon. Behind you the pyramids stood, alight with the sun. Ahk reached for you this time, and you held his hand, sitting in the dirt and sand as you watched the light disappear from the sky. Silence was all you needed, all you wanted in that moment – you, him, and silence. It made quite the trio, but as falcons sang overhead, you remembered Sac, still waiting for you in the hotel. Pressing your lips in a thin line you hoped to God the blood you'd given her lasted long enough. You and Ahk still had no idea how long you'd been in the pyramid or in the Duat, which left a fair amount of doubt as to both your own intuition and the survival of Sac.

He leaned against you, his head rested on your shoulder as you breathed in unison, appreciating your own survival in a dangerous land. In return you leaned into him, resting your chin on the top of his head and breathing in the sweet scent of lavender that lingered on him from your travels into the Duat.

As the stars began to appear in the sky, clearer than anything you'd seen before, Ahk stood, offering you his hand. You took it, allowing him to help you to your feet. The two of you started off in the direction of the road, hailing the first taxi you found and clambering in, avoiding the many questions the driver clearly had. Although you could really only see your eye and forehead, you caught a glance of yourself in the rear view mirror, seeing your broken and dirtied skin for the first time.

You looked _awful_. Like you'd been through hell and came out with just the slightest hint of sanity. Dirt and blood covered your face, matching well with the scratches and punctures in your cheeks, and for the ride back you let yourself contemplate the injuries you earned. Holes in your ankles, ones that made it very hard to walk. The loss of your left eye. Bruising on your ribs from Apep, punctures in your arms and torso from the snake chambers. Of course, the cuts on your arms stemming from the need to draw blood, matching with the many cuts and bruises you were not aware you had. Looking to Ahk, you noticed him to look much the same, something you hadn't noticed until you were reminded what a normal human looked like, with clear skin and kempt hair.

Clearing your throat, you adjusted yourself in your seat, and willed the driver to speed up. Lights from the city appeared, growing brighter and more plentiful as you continued down the bumpy road. You gave the address of your hotel once more, thankful you even remembered it, and left the cab silently after paying.

Walking into the hotel was another experience of the day that you were not enjoying experiencing. People stared at you, the clerks stared at you, one of the body guards even stopped you from entering the elevator – you had to explain that you were in fact (Y/N) and that you did in fact have a hotel room. They were skeptical, so you stopped by the front desk and reaffirmed your own identity. The cloth covering half your face and darkened with your own blood probably didn't help. Either way, you made it into the elevator, staying as close to Ahk as you could. He did the same, and as the elevator doors opened to your floor, you stayed shoulder to shoulder with each other as you found your room, knocking on the door.

Footsteps sounded behind the walls, the lock clicking before the door opened. Behind the white wood Sac revealed herself, gasping in delight when she saw you, which quickly fell when she noticed your condition.

"What the hell happened to you?!" She asked, pulling you into a tight hug that you happily returned.

"Ah, I'm alright," you said, wondering if you'd never been more not-alright. Out of you and Ahk, you definitely got the brunt of the injuries, which you were somehow okay with. If it kept Ahk safe, it was worth it. Something to do with your ceaseless loyalty as Ahk called it.

"Did you get a scar on your eye?" She asked as she pulled away from you, opening the door to let you and Ahk inside the room. She shut it behind you, directing you to the couch and sitting across from you, leaning forward intently ready to hear your story.

"Not quite," you answered vaguely.

For the next two hours you and Ahk regaled your tales to her, speaking of the snakes and the ferryman, of Osiris and Hathor, and how Anubis spoke to you and how you fought him. She hung on your every word, curious for an explanation to each of your injuries. Setting your foot on the glass coffee table, you pulled your shoes off, revealing the deep holes numbering three on each heel. She winced, advising you to get help.

"I'll be alright after a washing up," you insisted, and after a while they both stopped advising you to see a doctor. Maybe you would when you got back to New York, but even then it would be hard to explain where you got your injuries, and it was not a conversation you were eager to have with a stranger.

Ahk told your shared stories best – he had this excitement when he spoke, a hint of mystery that pulled Sac in. His charm even worked on you, even though you'd been there through all the events he described. Your favorite part had to be his description of Hathor fighting Anubis, where he akinned them to beasts and giants all at once, telling a thrilling tale of how the two of you joined the fight even in your tiny size.

Some time in the middle of his story you fell asleep, your head rested against the softest pillow on the couch. In your mind you knew that it was only soft because you hadn't felt a pillow in a long while, but it didn't stop you from enjoying it, sinking into the plush fabric beneath you. They let you sleep, returning to the large bed in the other room and sleeping out the night.

As morning struck you awoke, the sun shining directly onto your face. Grumbling discontentedly you sat up, rubbing your cheek and feeling the grime still present there, only exacerbated by the dirt on your hands. With a sigh you stood, making your way to the bathroom where you proceeded to take a long, well-deserved bath. When you finished, the holes in your ankles stored little bits of water that you had to pop in order to get it out. A shiver ran through you at the sight of it dripping down your heel and onto the bathmat below. You dried off, donning one of the white bathrobes supplied to you and letting your old clothes soak in the soapy bathwater before you hung them on the shower curtain rail. Later on Ahk did the same, and for another first time in a long time, you sat on the couch and watched television in your bathrobes, side by side.

The journey home would, with luck, be an easy one, but there was no need to rush. You had no problems with the blood spell anymore – your body had been injured enough to the point where a cut like that, even if it bled a lot, meant nothing to you. For that, you, Sac, and Ahk sat on the red cushioned couch, and watched crappy TV in a moment that meant more to you than anything else did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm actually loving the titles to my chapters


	25. I Know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Homebound.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to thank a few people who made sure I kept writing through lots of encouragement. First is EMS1214, who was here pretty much from the beginning and somehow stuck through the whole thing, offering lots of enthusiasm and memes throughout it all. HAH27 and JustAFemaleGeek also read through it and commented, which always means the world to me. A big thank you to tieressian as well, who, along with a couple others, recognized the characters from my other stories! Without yall I never would've finished writing this. Thank you so much.

The three of you rested a couple more days before you finally got the energy to buy tickets back to America. Egypt, while you did love it and its' many facets, was stiflingly hot, and you weren't that well versed in Arabic. Besides, you needed to see your friends again. In your days of rest you managed to come up with an excuse to your many injuries, one that you hoped wouldn't rile them to calling the cops – you'd tell them you went on a long hike, got lost in the forest, and poked out your eye. Hopefully they wouldn't freak out too much. In the meantime you sat beside Ahk, both of you donning new clothes that you decided was a necessity, considering your old clothes were verging on rags. Ahk was a little upset at that – he really liked his scarf (that was now drenched in blood, both his own and others) and while he hadn't liked his shirt all that much, he mourned over his boots. You got him new ones of course, but they were never quite the same to him. You even got him a new scarf. Sac on the other hand didn't need new clothes, but you bought her a new outfit anyway, as it seemed a little unfair, and she found a new dress that she liked quite a lot that wasn't too expensive.

Despite the fact that neither Ahk nor Sac knew how to read English or Arabic, they enjoyed the couple trips you made to local museums. It was a little difficult for you to get fully immersed in the knowledge, something you blamed fully on visiting the Duat and seeing the actual Gods yourself, but it didn't take long until you were hopping excitedly from exhibit to exhibit. Ahk found it endearing, which he happily told you. At the notion of that you blushed, but it didn't halt your excitement, which flooded you when you hit the gift shop.

You had an assortment of artifacts in your apartment, several genuine and most replicas. A good chunk of the pottery you found was left to schools and museums, but you were allowed to keep a few things from your excavations, which sat nicely on the bookcase surrounded by copies. Gift shops allowed for a nice collection of replica artifacts, namely maps, potteries, and mini-statues. You bought a map for Sac when she asked, and a medallion for Ahk, and for yourself you brought home the four canopic jars, in miniature form.

On the morn of the day you were due to leave, you helped your friends pack, warning them that the things you'd gotten for them could be fragile, and that it'd be best to cushion them with your old clothes. Along with that you warned them of TSA – no metals in your pockets, electronics (which you didn't really have besides your phone) had to be scanned separately, shoes had to be removed. They'd been through TSA before, but it was only twice, and it couldn't help to remind them again.

With your bags packed you slung your satchel over your shoulder, helping Ahk with his much large backpack. Sac kept most of her belongings in the large coat she'd bought upon arriving in Egypt. Once fully prepared you went into the lobby for breakfast, eating quickly before you hailed a cab, instructing the driver to head towards the airport. In the heavy traffic of the early morning you called McPhee, recalling that you hadn't yet told him you were both safe and headed home.

Your phone rang in the car for a little bit before he picked up, the clear night sky shining through the window behind him. He hadn't been sleeping, though, which was lucky – you really didn't want to see your boss in his bed.

"(Y/N)! You're alive, wow," he said, a bright smile on his face as he took a sip from his glass.

"Yep! We got the tablet back and everything," you informed him happily, feeling rather proud of yourself despite all you lost. In return, McPhee politely didn't mention the bandages covering up your eye.

"That's wonderful. Larry's here too, by the way," he said, the words directed to Ahk, who sat to your right. Sac looked over your shoulder from the left, smiling when McPhee handed the phone to Larry who sat across from him.

"Hey guys, how you holdin' up?" He asked, his brow furrowed as it always was.

"Alright. We're headed for the airport now, we're going home," Ahk said brightly, grinning.

"We're headed for Canada, actually. Just right now. We left some clothes hidden, so you won't have to worry about recreating any clothes or something," you informed them, which made McPhee incredibly happy. He hated spending money on things he lost.

Past a few more pleasantries, you and Ahk decided to save the storytelling for when you actually got home, instead of trying to tell them over the bad WiFi of a taxi cab. Once you reached the airport you hung up, pocketing your phone and paying the driver. You thanked him, and with that you pulled yourself and your luggage out of the car, watching it drive away as you turned to face the airport.

Something you'd discovered from walking around the city during the day was that no one really cared that your friends looked like they were made of stone. Maybe it was because you yourself didn't look like stone, or maybe it was simply that people hated asking questions, but either way you were grateful for it. People's either politeness or apathy would hopefully extend towards the airport, swarmed to the brim with people. The three of you entered, holding hands with one another to avoid separation as you wormed your way to the front desk, weighing Ahk's heavy backpack and paying for the cost of its' weight. You could keep your satchel as a carry on, and no one truly needed to know how much was in Sac's coat. Even you didn't know. As you passed crowds of people you tightened your grip on Ahk and Sac's hands, leading them through the halls and towards your gate, where the three of you relaxed into the tight, leather and metal seats supplied there. A sigh left you as you closed your eyes – the worst part of the airport experience was over. Unless you had a loud baby on the plane, which you prayed wouldn't happen.

"Are you sure the tablet will be okay underneath the plane?" Ahk asked for the third time, fidgeting in his seat as he ran his fingers thoughtlessly over the top of your arm.

"It'll have to be. If they found it in our luggage at the scanning station, they would've accused us of smuggling artifacts, and we all would've been arrested," you said, your eyes still closed.

"I suppose that wouldn't be good. We don't have any identification anyway," he said.

"I do," you reminded him. "You should too, actually. I know Sac doesn't have any though."

"I have identification?"

"Yep. Whenever people find important mummies, they almost always scan the fingerprints and add it to the database," you mumbled, not bothering to explain what mummies, fingerprints, or a database were. He didn't ask, blinking as he tried to process what you'd said. Instead, he turned to face front again, falling silent.

After thirty minutes of waiting the staff called up for your flight, speaking first in Arabic, then English, followed by French. Eventually they called up for the row you were seated in, and once you pulled Ahk and Sac to their feet you went to wait in line. It moved forward slowly, till you came to the front desk, presenting three tickets to account for you and your friends. The steward smiled, welcoming the three of you into the long hall leading to the door of the plane. As expected, the line in moved just as slow, but you got to your seats eventually, tucking your satchel underneath the chair in front of you and leaning back, ready for the long flight back to North America.

This time, Ahk did not ask you if the plane had taken off. You saw that as progress – maybe the two of them were more accustomed to it, but when the plane hit the air, Ahk gripped your hand so tightly you could feel his pulse on your palm. Despite the pain you let him do so without complaint, till the plane pulled a 180 in the air. At that point he scrambled for the white bag in front of you, vomiting and emerging with a very pale, tired face.

"I hate flying," he mumbled, clearly embarrassed as the flight attendant took the bag from him.

"I know," you said with a soft chuckle.

Once the plane evened out and turbulence became a thing of the past, Ahk began poking around the screen attached to the back of the seat in front of him. Pulling out the provided earbuds, he connected them in without your help, handing one bud to you as he loaded up the Princess Bride.

"Haven't you watched this already?" You asked quietly, already settling the earbud into your left ear.

"Yes," he said, his eyes trained on the screen. "I like it, though."

That made enough sense. This time he didn't fall asleep, watching through it without pause as Sac, sitting to your right, plugged in your phone and continued to try and decode its many mysteries. Some time in the middle of the movie he announced quietly to you that Westley was quite handsome, and that he loved the sword fighting scene with the Spaniard the most. You agreed, noting how the music coincided with the action in the scene.

The two of you watched a couple more movies before Ahk began to drift into asleep once more, leant against your shoulder, his arm wrapped around yours. Resting your chin on the top of his head you followed, allowing the movie to continue playing as you slept. It hadn't been particularly interesting anyways.

Several more movies and a couple naps later the captain announced that you'd be landing soon, startling the three of you out of your activities. Sac set down the third book of the day, you paused the movie, and Ahk coughed as he woke up from your jostling. You helped the two of them get arranged, preparing for the ‘exiting of the vehicle’ as the captain called it. Soon after you left the plane and the airport behind, jogging out of the building in search of the nearest bus. The snow from your first visit to Quebec had long melted in the light of the day, puddles of mud and rain splashing up your legs as you ran towards the bus stop, just barely making it before the door closed.

Paying the fare, you made your way to the back of the bus, sitting in a neat row with your friends as the vehicle groaned and started off down the recently paved road. It didn't take too long to reach the edge of the city, where you left the bus for another one, that took you into the smaller town you first came across all those months ago. You hadn't known the name of the town when you first came across it, which did not aid your search for it. Eventually you identified it by the clothes store you stopped at, hopping off the bus at the nearest stop, and looking to the blue sky above you. Scratching the back of your head you followed Sac's lead towards the back of the store. There, beneath the porch you found your old clothes, a bright smile spreading across your face as you sorted through them. As expected, they were wet and incredibly muddy, but it wouldn't be too hard to clean them off. Your only worry was injuring the genuine cloth of Ahk's clothes, but you could avoid that by hand-washing them.

Getting back to New York from where you were would be a difficult task – for the time being you stopped at a nicer restaurant, getting a table in the back that had a fantastic view of the forest. There you went through the methods you could get back, the main one being a bus. It'd take a while, certainly, but it wasn't too expensive. The other options were trains, planes, and as Sac suggested, simply walking back. You supposed that could work, but you really didn't want to do that what with the holes in your feet. Once you reminded her of your new disability, the option was dismissed. Instead you decided that a bus would indeed work best, the decision reached right as your food arrived, pulling you away from your work and towards the pleasant smell of a pan-fried vegetable platter.

With bus tickets purchased over your phone and dinner finished, you walked the short hike to the small town's bus stop. There you waited for a little while, staring up at the dark sky, the stars muted by the bright lights of the bus station. A couple people waited with you, before a few more came followed by several more. Eventually the whole of the bus passengers waited on the sidewalk, sitting on the curb or on the benches, and ignoring the chill of a summer-spring evening in Canada. As the clock hit midnight the employees allowed your group to board, on the condition that Ahk's massive backpack go in the luggage area. You could keep your satchel, mostly because it was much smaller, but Ahk was insistent that after the plane, the tablet stay with him. While you couldn't blame him for his fear, you got a fair amount of odd stares when he hugged the pure gold tablet to his chest. Instead of facing those stares you led him and Sac on, sitting between them in one of the aisles, Ahk beside the window and Sac beside the small walkway.

With little entertainment and a long drive ahead of you, the three of you fell asleep, Sac rested on your left shoulder and Ahk on your right. Every now and then the bus would stop, allowing the passengers and driver to stretch their legs, eat, and go to the bathroom. On one of those rest stops your phone finally died, forcing you to put it to rest in your pocket. No more updating McPhee.

"It's a little odd," Ahk said quietly on the dawn of the next day, sitting on a bench near the bus. You stood beside him. "I actually miss Duat a little."

"Why's that?" You asked, offering no judgement.

"I was alive, truly alive, all the time," he answered.

You understood his pain, at least you thought you did. Either way you offered comfort, telling him that he really was alive, no matter what the sun or moon said. In return he offered a weak smile, taking your hand when you offered it and standing. The two of you got back on the bus, followed by Sac, and as you adjusted into your seats, the drive resumed.

By evening you had already gone through border protection, and with excited eyes Ahk watched as the lights of the city neared, dull in the reflection of the glass. You smiled – the end was in sight. Night had dawned on the city, leaving it a beacon of activity in the dark, and as the three of you pressed your faces against the glass, your heart began to race. 

The end was in sight.

You hopped off at the bus station, calling over the nearest taxi and loading yourselves and your luggage into it. The driver didn't allow you to plug your phone in when you asked, but it didn't bother you too much, as you would see McPhee in a matter of minutes. Even in the traffic clouding the city streets a grin made itself permanent upon your face, delight reflecting from the Broadway signs and the modern architecture and art, the familiar advertisements and the dirty alleyways. All of it compiled to make your home – not perfect, certainly not clean, but it was your home – the museum was your home. The second the museum came into view, lit by bright lights dug into the ground and shining against the front doors, all three of you grew incredibly fidgety, ready to burst at any moment.

Slowly the driver halted, and the second the doors unlocked Ahk shoved himself out of them, followed by you and Sac. You almost tripped over each other, but you ended up being alright. You paid as Ahk got the baggage, and with that you raced up the steps, delight filling your heart so fiercely that you could not stop smiling even if you wanted to. Looking through the glass doors you found McPhee and Larry conversing inaudibly, and as you no longer had your key, you knocked loudly on the doors along with Ahk and Sac. Immediately they turned to you, wide eyes and bright smiles welcoming you home.

"Ah, it's good to see you all in one piece!" McPhee said as he pulled you into a hug, something you'd never received from him before. Stammering you returned the sentiment, hugging him back and appreciating his worry for your safety.

"We have the tablet!" Ahk said, a wide grin that creased and blushed on his cheeks eminent as he held the tablet high above his head. It began to glow in the lights of the museum, a burst of energy leaving it like a shockwave, waking up every exhibit within the museum walls.

Rexy awoke first, his bone tail swirling in the air as he noticed Ahk and Larry standing near each other. Roosevelt and his horse came to life as well, trotting over to you and welcoming the three of you home with a congratulations, happily embracing Sac when he dismounted. More and more exhibits came to the main room of the museum, conjoining and already starting up a party, as though no time had passed at all.

Joy warmed up your heart, the energy going far past the smile that remained on your face, and coming out in the form of a big hug around Ahk, one that Sac joined. 

You did it, the three of you had done it – you fought the odds, you fought starvation and magic, you fought the law from both humans and Gods, and you survived.

Standing on the platform leading to the stairs, you, Ahk, and Sac shared your story. You and Sac added in little details, things here and there that Ahk hadn't noticed. Ahk told most of the story, as he was the best at storytelling, and just as before you listened intently. Most of the people had gathered before you, eager to listen. By the time the three of you finished there was a great amount of respect evident in all the exhibits, a respect for all you'd been through, and a respect for both the resiliency and loyalty of your trio.

For a while you joined in on the party, dancing to the loud music and the fun lights Larry had installed during his time working in the museum. You, Sac, and Ahk danced in the middle of the party, enjoying the energy and the deep satisfaction felt within yourself and your friendships. Tears nearly sprung from your eyes as you watched Ahk, moving and twisting in his modern clothes, his eyes creased and the ends of his lips turned eternally upwards.

The energy from returning wore off quickly for you, and as exhaustion began to drag at your fingertips you remembered you hadn't had a good nights' sleep in several days. You headed off into the break room of the employees, and fell asleep atop the couch.

In the morning the museum opened up, this time with their Pharaoh and tablet returned, although the only thing truly returned to its' place was the tablet. Ahk and Sac were still under the influence of Shepseheret's spell, and you weren't quite done celebrating, so you picked at the scab of a recent cut, and repainted the eyes of Horus onto them. In return they took you to the hospital, keeping you company as doctors attended to your many injuries. You offered for Ahk to join you, to get better healing than you could offer, but he declined, saying that the turn back to stone had rid him of a great many injuries.

Once your wounds were fully taken care of, you drove them back to the museum, saying hello to Tilly, who had not been there the night before.

"Ugh, I am _so_ sorry I wasn't here! It must've been a fan_tastic_ party, I can only imagine," she said as you walked with her, a genuinely happy smile still on your face.

"I'm sure we'll have another fantastic party tonight," you assured her.

"Oh, speaking of time," she said, going off on a tangent that had nothing to do with your conversation, "I was wondering if, as thanks, you wanted to join _my_ museum?"

You paused.

"Like... quit my job here, and get hired at the British museum?"

"Yeah! We don't have many Egyptologists anyway, and you could travel with us too, you know, give all those lectures and stuff," she said, offering you a path you weren't aware you could've taken.

"I'd love to."

+

Dawn was approaching, the travelling exhibits already packed away in their wooden cases surrounded with cushioning and paper straw. Even now you held Ahk's hands, as he sat in his own wooden case, you sitting cross legged on the floor beside him.

"Will I ever see you again?" He asked quietly, his voice cracking as a blush ran to his cheeks.

"I've actually been offered a job chaperoning you," you told him, watching as tears fell from his eyes, the quivering of his lip replaced with a shocked yet delighted smile.

"Really?!"

"Of course. That means I go wherever they send you," you said softly.

In a sudden movement he wrapped his arms around you, nearly pulling you into his case as he pressed his face into the crook of your neck, inhaling your scent and appreciating all you were. Laughing, you wrapped your arms around him as well. The two of you stayed there for a moment more before you separated, keeping your hand on his cheek and keeping him close to you, close enough to see your reflection in the dilated pupil of his eyes. There you came closer, pressing your lips up against his, loving the heat of his skin and the soft hum that came from him, adoring the feel of his hands running up and down your body before they settled on your cheeks, pulling you closer into him. He moved against you, soft lips encompassing yours as he moved his tongue against your lips. You allowed him to do so, a subtle smile coming over you as you did the same, letting yourself get tangled in his touch.

"I won't leave you," you promised in the second of air you were allowed.

"I know."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading.
> 
> Suggested song: It's All Forgotten Now; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2HJj02rmJs


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